Our bedrooms are important places for two main reasons: one is sleep, the other is sex. We’re not talking about sex today, ladies, because let’s face it – sleep is by far the more important of the two, especially if you’re wanting to actually enjoy the latter. Yet every day, 33-45% of adults are getting inadequate sleep. Now, whilst it might feel impossible if we happen to be parents to ever get a decent night’s sleep, we need to ask ourselves: are we making it a priority? And how are we preparing ourselves for deep, restorative rest, even if we aren’t clocking up all the hours we would ideally like.
Sleep is vital for healthy bodily function, not to mention cognitive and emotional wellbeing. It enables body cells to repair and renew, prevents heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and obesity. As the Dalai Lama said: “Sleep is the best meditation.” Without sleep, we’re placing our bodies and our minds under immense stress. It makes life harder, it makes us unpleasant to be around (I’m speaking personally here!) and it makes our bodies excrete cortisol – which we definitely do not want to happen if we want to remain calm, balanced, happy and healthy.
If you are a new mother, getting a good night’s rest is virtually impossible. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make your bedroom as comfortable and therefore conducive to a good night’s rest as you can. Up the dreamy details. Extend ourselves a bit on the ambience. But why don’t we?
So many mothers fuss over their child’s bedroom decor, linen or sleeping arrangements, yet fail to invest the same amount of care or attention into their own bedrooms, when it should be seen that the bedroom is, alongside the kitchen, the most important room in the home for our personal wellbeing as well. By investing care and attention into our bedroom space, it becomes aligned to a more conscious view of us taking responsibility for our own self-care. Remember, the better we look after our own wellbeing, the better we can look after our children’s. And whilst there’s an aesthetic underpinning to this, this only serves to illustrate how external improvements are a visual representation of those improvements made inwards on a consciousness level, and reflect our ability to expand, release and shift in the quest for more holistic change, growth and evolution. If you can bring yourself to say: “I deserve it and need it for my self care and personal betterment,” then no doubt, you will begin to notice that the way that you treat yourself will be seen in how you live your life and how you care for your personal spaces.
So what can we do to make our bedrooms a true home sanctuary, a place for us to go to get restful and restorative care?
1. Make the most of what you’ve got
Eynesbury Style designer and super stylish stylist Vicki Brereton, who has worked with notable stylists such as Julia Green of Green House Interiors, believes that a bedroom is “a place to unwind and recuperate at the end of a very busy day. But firstly, you need to work with what you’ve got.” She warns that whilst it’s all well and good to have visions and dreams of the latest trends pinned on your Pinterest, these may not work for you depending on the size and shape of your bedroom. So take a good long look, and be realistic. And remember – it’s not the size that matters, but how you work with it.
Capitalise on big spaces by opting for larger statement pieces that fill the space better, and invest your dime in clever design if your space is smaller. Get rid of the clutter and really take notice of what you have that you are able to do without as space is everything. And lastly, you can never have too much storage, so things like drawers in your bed base or in-built robes are a massive plus, and whilst minimalist bedsides can look on-trend, are they practical if you enjoy reading at night or like to keep certain items handy? How will your pieces affect your living – will they enhance your life, or not?
2. Invest In Your Bed
The next thing Brereton emphasises is seemingly obvious but often overlooked. “A really comfortable bed! It’s really great to have an underlay on your bed, as over time, your mattress contours to the shape of your body and hardens. So an underlay adds another soft cloud layer.” Mattress Toppers are also great, as they extend the longevity of your mattress whilst adding extra comfort.
And what about on your bed?
“You need to have layers on your bed, because your body temperature changes. So I think you need to be able to have a bed that you can actually layer beautiful doonas and blankets and throws, but then on a cold night you can snuggle up and on a warm night you can take the layers off. Pillows are really important, and ceiling fans work really well in bedrooms – air circulation is really good for sleep. And I’m a linen lover!” If you can’t go the linen, other alternatives include pure cotton or bamboo with thicker thread counts. “Just make sure you follow the washing instructions,” Bereton says, as bamboo does shrink if not washed properly.
3. Let there be light – but not too much
Mood is everything, and nothing kills it quicker than garish or overly bright light. “You don’t want to have harsh lighting; make sure that you have lighting that you can dim, which is really lovely. It’s always nice to walk into a bedroom that’s not glaring, that has a soft light, and that actually helps you to unwind and relax, and turn your mind to getting ready for getting a good night’s sleep.” Brereton recommends wall-hung side lights, pendants or table lamps. Forgo the pendant light over the bed, however, and opt for a ceiling fan with a dimmable light instead.
4. Mellow with a pop – the right colours
As Wassily Kandinsky so famously said: “Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.” Our bedroom is definitely a soul space, and it’s here where we should seek to keep it as mellow and soothing as possible as it’s our sanctuary, our place to relax and unwind. “I lean towards muted colours, like muted greys and even the browny greens,” Brereton says. Colour is also very important when it comes to the size of your room: if you have a small bedroom, opt for lighter colours, which will make the room feel more open, fresh, and inviting.
Accessorising is one of the things that women love to do, and what better way to motivate you than to find the perfect piece of wall art. “Artwork. Something that speaks to you,” Brereton states emphatically. We’re not talking about Bed Bath and Table cookie cutter art, we’re talking something that nobody else has; something that truly reflects you. Remember, it’s your room, so don’t get hung up on all those Insta-worthy images. Remember that no one else is you, so why would you buy art that everyone else has?
And how does one dress a bed?
“On my bed I like neutrals, my cushions and pillow cases – I like to mix them up with different patterns, and throws I like to change. I think it’s nice to have a pop of colour.” Although she would veer away from red, which is too stimulating for a truly well rested night’s sleep.
5. Just breathe
Never have I appreciated the smell of fresh air quite so much since our skies have been full of smoke from bush fires and whole cities have had to shut down due to toxic levels of air. The positive affect of fresh air on our quality of life is monumental.
Brereton draws attention to “an open window, just fresh air… fresh flowers, the smell of fresh rain. And there’s nothing nicer than fresh sheets straight off the line as opposed to out of the dryer.” Sleeping in cool environments actually improves your sleep, and is scientifically proven to be a source for restful and revitalising sleep. In fact, in Norway and most other Scandinavian countries, babies nap in (very well insulated) prams in the outdoors from as young as two weeks old, which is purported to promote better daytime sleeping, longer naps, and increased happiness and energy.
Simply letting your bed breathe by leaving it unmade for an afternoon with the window open can help to send you off to a more restful sleep.
Allow yourself the time to really create your ideal space for deep, quality sleep, as an investment into your self care. Enjoy creating a space that speaks to you, that makes you feel happy and is comfortable. No doubt making it more inviting will mean that you will be anticipating bed time with even more enthusiasm.
Amanda X
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