A sizable chunk of Americans suffer from troubled sleep, and this issue has only gotten worse throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given how much of an impact poor sleep quality can have on every facet of your life, this is a problem you’ll want to nip in the bud. One way to provide yourself with a better night’s slumber is creating a bedroom that exudes comfort and relaxation. And as you’ll find, getting your designated sleep space in order is far from an uphill climb.
Invest in the Right Mattress
Many of us have a habit of hanging on to mattresses that are well past their prime. In some instances, it simply doesn’t occur to us that a mattress needs to be replaced. In others, we’re understandably hesitant to throw down the money for a new mattress. While the desire to conserve your financial resources is perfectly natural, you’re not doing yourself any favors by continuing to sleep on a mattress that no longer provides sufficient comfort.
So, if your current mattress is failing to deliver in the comfort department, don’t hesitate to start looking for a new one. Additionally, while there’s nothing with being economical, try to avoid making your selection based exclusively on price. For example, you may be tempted to go with the cheapest possible option, but how much comfort do you expect such a mattress to provide? At the end of the day, replacing an uncomfortable worn-down mattress with an uncomfortable new mattress doesn’t represent much of an upgrade.
Of course, this isn’t to say that you should break the bank on a new mattress. Finding a mattress that provides the comfort you seek for a reasonable (albeit not dirt-cheap) price is much easier than you may think – provided you know where to look. Furthermore, anyone looking to reduce their carbon footprint should consider investing in an eco-friendly hybrid mattress.
Block Out External Light and Noise
It should come as no surprise that many of us do our best sleeping in dark, quiet environments. Without external stimuli keeping our minds racing, we’re better equipped to prime our brains and bodies for slumber. So, if you live in an area with a fair amount of external light and/or outside noise, taking measures to minimize these stimuli can be a boon to your sleep quality.
For starters, if an excessive amount of sunlight regularly finds its way through your bedroom windows, make sure to equip them with blackout curtains. As the name suggests, these curtains are designed to keep external light to a minimum, thereby enabling you to sleep better. Blackout curtains can be particularly helpful to people who keep unconventional slumber schedules and do most of their sleeping during daylight hours.
Although blackout curtains should be affordable on virtually any budget, blackout screens are an even more price-friendly alternative. Keep in mind, however, that they’re unlikely to last as long and generally can’t be reattached to windows after being removed.
If external noise frequently interferes with your nightly respite, consider investing in noise-canceling curtains. In addition to sometimes doubling as blackout curtains, noise-canceling curtains are composed of thick materials that enable them to drown out a significant percentage of outside noise.
Purchase a Large Bedside Table
Getting up in the middle of night can have an adverse impact on your overall slumber quality, particularly if you have trouble falling back asleep. To help minimize the number of times you get up in a given night, invest in a bedside table that’s large enough to hold every item you may conceivably need throughout the course of the night. For example, if you regularly get out of bed to get a drink or take medication, keeping a bottle of water and your various medications on the aforementioned table can significantly reduce the amount of time you spend actively awake during the overnight hours.
High-quality slumber should be one of your most important priorities. Without it, you’re liable to have a difficult time remaining competent, functional and positive. In addition to the psychological effects of sleep deprivation, poor sleep habits can also contribute to a variety of physical health issues. So, if your bedroom isn’t particularly conducive to sleep, make sure to get on top of this. With the tips discussed above at your disposal, creating a sleep-friendly bedroom should be well within your abilities.