6 Tips to Optimize Your Bedroom for Better Sleep
Encourage better sleep by optimizing your bedroom. Small details can make a difference, from the temperature of the room to the type of bedding you choose. Although these tips aren’t a magic fix for all sleep issues, they can be effective for some and can definitely improve your comfort level. Try these strategies and see if your sleep quality improves:
Start With the Right Mattress
Your mattress can impact your sleep for better or worse. If you’ve had the same mattress for years, it may be time for a replacement. The official recommendation from the Sleep Foundation is to replace your mattress every 6-8 years, which is a good general guideline to follow.
When shopping for a new mattress, consider the most important features, such as firmness level. If you’re not sure which firmness level is right for you, choose medium. There are mattresses with steel springs and those enhanced with memory foam. You’ll also find foam mattresses without springs that mold to your body’s contours for custom comfort and support. If you want an eco-friendly mattress, look for one made with sustainable organic materials such as organic cotton and bamboo.
The quality of your mattress helps determine how long it can be expected to last. One way to extend the life of your mattress and enhance features such as level of support and softness is with a mattress pad. There are many types of mattress pads from which to choose, so explore the selection to find one that fits your criteria. Some of your options include memory foam mattress pads, featherbed toppers, and down-alternative toppers for a lofty look and feel that’s feather-free and hypoallergenic.
Replace Pillows Regularly
Pillows can become worn quickly, so replace them once or twice yearly. As with mattresses, the level of firmness and support a pillow provides can factor into your sleep quality—and how you feel when you get up in the morning. There’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation when it comes to pillows, as it depends on how you sleep. There are certain pillows that work best for back sleepers and those made for people who tend to sleep on their sides. If you fall into both categories throughout the night, choose a pillow with a medium-to-firm support level.
Choose Comfortable Bedding
The next step when optimizing your bedroom for sleep is outfitting the bed. As with a mattress, the right bedding can make a difference in comfort and sleep quality. One strategy when shopping for sheets, blankets, quilts, and comforters is to think seasonally. In the warmer months, you can’t go wrong with linen or cotton percale. Cotton sateen is another option; it has a lustrous look and feel that mimics silk while percale is soft and smooth with a semi-matte finish. When it’s chilly or downright cold, flannel is a cozy fabric for sheets, quilts, and duvet covers. Flannel sheets and other bedding essentials come in sets and separates that you can mix and match, so it’s easy to create a coordinated look.
Supima cotton sheets, comforters, and duvet covers are soft, sturdy, and colorfast—along with being machine washable. The reason this type of USA-grown cotton is so special is its long-staple fiber, which makes it twice as strong as regular cotton. You can find Supima cotton bedding in different knits and weaves, such as the aforementioned percale and sateen. Cotton jersey—Supima or otherwise—is another cozy fabric for bedding, as it looks and feels like a well-worn T-shirt.
Hang Blackout Drapes
Window treatments can also help you sleep better by blocking light. Blackout drapes are ideal for bedrooms because they’re opaque for darkness and privacy. Create a layered look that’s practical and stylish with a double curtain rod and blackout drapes over sheer curtains. When you want to let light into the room, you can tie back the drapes and let the sun filter through the curtains.
Keep the Temperature Cool
Many sleep experts recommend a room temperature of 60 to 71 degrees for sleeping, with somewhere between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit being ideal. Keeping the temperature low at night helps your body instinctively prepare for sleep, but that doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortably cold. There are cozy sherpa robes and slippers you can wear over loungewear and pajamas before going to bed and when you get up in the morning. Speaking of pajamas, they’re also important when it comes to achieving a better night’s sleep.
Wear the Right Pajamas
Breathable fabrics are a must when it comes to choosing the best men’s or women’s pajamas. Cotton checks all the boxes, and you can find cotton apparel infused with the slightest hint of spandex for a comfortable stretch. Look for men’s and women’s pajama pants with a full elastic waist and drawcord to ensure comfort, while features like ribbed collars and cuffs can make a difference when it comes to pajama T-shirts. Button-down PJ shirts are another option—they have a classic look and come in cotton muslin and poplin for spring and summer, while fall and winter call for warm brushed flannel.
Give these tips a chance to see if they help you get a better night’s sleep. It’s possible that implementing even a few of these strategies can increase your bedroom’s comfort level and help you relax.