It’s no longer about how many hours a night you should sleep, you should be concerned with how restorative your sleep is. Do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you toss and turn? Wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep? Your bedroom should be your sanctuary. Read below for the top 10 ways to turn your bedroom into a sleeping oasis.
Seriously. In our stressed-out 24/7 world, your bedroom should be your sanctuary and sleeping oasis. These ten tips will help to promote sleep using all of your senses.
Top 10 Ways to Turn Your Bedroom into a Sleeping Oasis
Ban the TV
You’ve heard it before and I’ll say it again. Your bed should be for two activities only. One activity is to sleep and the other is NOT to watch TV. The blue light emanating from your TV (and phone or computer) stimulates your brain, affects your melatonin production which interferes with restorative sleep, and it disrupts your pineal gland function. Keep the TV in the living room or den. Sleep and snuggle time only!
Eliminate Clutter & Work
You want your mind to be in as calm of state as possible when you go to bed. Having clutter or work in your bedroom sends the message that you have something to do other than sleep (like get work done or clean up). Keep your bedroom clutter-free, put items away, and get your work done in a separate room.
Banish Fluffy & Fido
Late the hate mail begin. Yes, I know your four-legged friends are your best sleeping companions. But their hair can cause breathing issues while you sleep and their movement all night long sends messages to your brain to wake up. Your sleeping oasis is for humans only.
Use Blackout Blinds
Even the smallest amount of light can disrupt your biological clock, your sleep and the production of melatonin and serotonin. Do you have street lights shining into your windows? What about street traffic?
We actually bought matching blinds for our bedroom. The front window (street view) is a blackout blind, and the back window (grass and trees) is a regular blind. The pattern is the same on both but the material in one is made with the blackout material.
Try to keep your bedroom as dark as humanly possible. Turn your alarm clock around or find one with a red display light instead of blue.
Control EMF’s
Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs) can disrupt your pineal gland and its melatonin production and may have other negative biological effects as well. Keep your TV out of the bedroom. No phones or iPads in bed. Turn your phone onto airplane mode while you sleep, or keep it in another room.
If you do need to keep your phone on at night for emergency reasons, keep your landline on (if you have one), keep your phone in another room or right outside of your bedroom, or keep one phone on airplane mode on your nightstand, and your partner’s phone turned on but outside of the bedroom.
Fall Asleep to Binaural Beats or Pink Noise
Sounds have color and frequencies. Pink noise is similar to white noise, but it sounds more like rain or rushing water. Several recent studies have shown that pink noise and/or binaural beats help to improve sleep and memory. They are soothing to listen to. And your brain also becomes wired with the routine of pairing the pink noise (or Binaural Beats) with sleep.
You don’t need to purchase a sound machine. My two favorite iPhone apps are White Noise Lite and Beyond Meditation Binaural Beats (both free). Keep your phone on airplane mode to eliminate the EFT’s and enjoy the sounds of sleep!
Turn on a Himalayan Salt Lamp
Salt lamps come from deep inside Himalayan salt caves. This salt contains over 80 trace elements including magnesium, zinc, and selenium. Exposure to Himalayan salt lamps have been known to help those with allergies, and respiratory and sinus issues. They have a slight ionizing effect that projects negative ions when the bulb is turned on and helps to detoxify your room. No worries about the light, it falls in the red zone. Just keep it on low. Best of all – these lamps are totally zen!
Invest in an Organic Mattress
Traditional mattresses, especially memory foam mattresses emit chemicals and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and are made with chemical flame retardants. Do you really want to breathe in all of these chemicals all night long? Yes, mattresses are expensive to replace. But when it’s time to get a new mattress, but sure to check out the organic options. I promise you, you will be surprised!
When we priced the Avocado Green Mattress against traditional memory foam mattresses, it was actually less expensive. Win for our health, the environment, AND our wallet! And PS – it’s SUPER comfortable!
Sleep on Organic Sheets
Sheets aren’t as expensive as mattresses, but they are still an investment. Fortunately, there are so many places to purchase good quality organic sheets at mainstream prices. Stores like Pottery Barn and Nest Bedding are my favorite. Sleep in organic comfort, no chemicals needed!
Weighted blankets may help to improve poor sleep due to anxiety, insomnia, sensory issues, chronic pain, PTSD, autism, ADD, ADHD, RLS, stress, and other sleep disorders.
Diffuse and Spray Lavender
Last but not least, let the scents of calm lull you to sleep. Lavender is one of the best scents to bring on a restful and peaceful night’s sleep. You can diffuse it or even make a homemade bed spray
There you have it! Everything you need to turn your bedroom into a sleeping oasis!
Your Next Step…
Love, hugs, and counting sheep.
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