Sleep is vitally important to our general health and wellbeing. Our brain is unable to function properly without it, and a lack of sleep can manifest itself in many negative ways – confusion, clouded thoughts, irritability and more.
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Good sleeping habits
One of the best sleeping habits is to choose a set bedtime and to stick to it, ensuring that you are aiming for at least 7 hours uninterrupted sleep per night. It is uninterrupted sleep that is crucially important as lots of broken sleep can leave us feeling drained.
Likewise, you should avoid eating large meals within two hours of your bedtime and avoid all caffeinated beverages within 4 hours. Also, you should ensure that you spend your waking hours doing some sort of daily exercise. A walk outside will suffice! Being physically active during the day will help you to fall asleep later on.
Key factors that affect sleep quality
Sleep quality can be hugely impacted by many factors. An irregular sleep schedule, including unavoidable sleep conditions, can prove detrimental, as well as certain medications, physical pain and stress. Unfortunately not all of these things can be controlled.
Furthermore, sleeping in a room that is too light can negatively affect your ability to switch off. Blue light – present in both natural light and in electronic devices – triggers a chemical in our brain to keep us awake. You should make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible and free of electronic devices to avoid this.
Improper sleep positioning can also affect sleep quality. A foam mattress or pillow that is either too soft, firm or generally unsupportive can fuel discomfort. Old mattresses that are sagging are also unlikely to provide the support needed for a decent night’s sleep.
What is the perfect sleep environment?
The perfect sleep environment is calm and relaxing. Ideally, a bedroom decorated in neutral, muted tones help us to switch off, unlike bold, brash colours that are stimulating. That’s why nursery colours are often light and delicate.
We spend almost a third of our entire lives in bed, so we should do what is possible to invest in the sleep items we use. This extends to purchasing a duvet suitable for your needs, a good mattress topper, supportive orthopaedic pillows, a quality mattress suited to your body type and maybe even a soft, plush throw.
Useful bedroom design tips to improve your night’s sleep
Firstly, you should invest in blackout blinds to ensure total darkness and remove all electronic devices from your space. Use cool colours on your walls and keep decorations to a minimum to avoid overstimulation.
Secondly, you could consider replacing your usual decorative bed cushions for orthopaedic shaped cushions that look great yet are functional and supportive during sleep. High-density foam cushions are brilliant for this, and can be cut to any custom shape or design.
Dos and don’ts of bedroom design
Do encourage clean air in your space! Be sure to open your windows and liberally place air purifying plants in your room. You should also invest in plenty of storage to ensure everything is tucked away and neatly out of sight, removing visible clutter that can be stressful to see.
Don’t use cool or white LED lights – instead, invest in warm white lights that emit less blue light. You should also avoid using bold colours on the walls and in decorations and avoid clutter wherever possible – excess furniture, decorations, blankets and more.
Mohammed Bashir
Managing Director, Simply Foam Products Ltd.
(Note: Easyfoam is a trading name of Simply Foam Products Ltd.)
Unit 20 Barton Industrial Park, Etruria Way, Bilston, WV14 7LH
Email ID: editor@easyfoam.co.uk
Company Phone No: 0800 3345545
EasyFoam is UK’s No.1 online foam supplier for upholstery, packaging, acoustics etc. We supply made to measure foam for any application such as soundproofing, packaging, replacement sofa cushions, mattresses, boats, settees, and much more.
