Repainting your bedroom in a soothing colour is a simple and inexpensive way to help you improve your sleep. If you suffer from insomnia forget bright or brash colours and select muted, calming palettes. Pastel tones such as light blue, soft pink, mild yellow, soothing green and calming grey, create tranquillity and help on the way to a good night’s sleep.
Red, orange and purple are no-gos in the bedroom, as each increase heart rate and blood pressure, stimulating the body to stay awake and decreasing the body’s melatonin levels required to feel drowsy. If you simply must have bright colours, try adding these as an accent rather than a block colour; a brightly coloured rug or cushions here and there won’t detract from the overall soothing tone.
Don't forget lighting
When it’s dark, our bodies naturally release melatonin, which relaxes our muscles and helps us drift off. Light seeping in will make us feel more awake, so invest in black-out blinds or lined curtains and ensure any chinks of light are well-covered.
An eye mask is a great way to block wake-inducing light when sleeping. And a dimmer lightbulb can be a far kinder way to wake you up than an alarm clock, as it will ease you out of sleep more gradually.
Add houseplants
Adding house plants is a simple way to bring the outdoors in and increase the feeling of calm and relaxation. Easy-care varieties include cacti, cheese plants, spider plants, ferns, aloe vera and yucca, which don’t require a lot of watering and thrive in normal house temperatures. In keeping with biophilic design (our human instinct which seeks out interaction with nature), choose natural materials wherever possible, such as natural wood furniture, woven baskets for storage, and cotton bed linen.
