Do you want a bedroom that not only looks amazing but also helps you sleep better?
Minimalist bedroom designs are often thought of as purely aesthetic. Simple forms. Neutral tones. Empty space. However…what many people don’t realise is.
Designing a minimalist bedroom can actually help your health!
By removing the unnecessary and focusing only on things that add value, you’re creating an environment that encourages deeper sleep, cleaner air and better overall health.
But…it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are simple design tweaks that you can make to your bedroom that will transform it into a healthy sleep haven.
Let’s take a look…
What you’ll learn:
- Why Minimalist Bedroom Design Is Important For Your Health
- Key Design Elements To Prioritise
- Choosing The Right Mattress For Better Sleep and Air Quality
- Easy Tweaks That Have Big Impact
Why Minimalist Bedroom Design Is Important For Your Health
Here’s a fun fact for you…
The average human will spend around one third of their life asleep. Your bedroom has a huge impact on your health. As reported by the EPA, Americans spend roughly 90% of their time indoors. Indoor air pollutant levels can be 2 to 5x higher than what’s considered safe outdoors.
When your bedroom is stuffed with furniture, covered in synthetic fabrics and decorated with piles of things that collect dust. You’re creating a petri dish for allergens and pollutants to grow.
Minimalist design allows you to remove all of that. Focus on the things that keep your bedroom clean and healthy.
Less stuff equals less dust. Less dust equals cleaner air. Cleaner air equals better sleep.
Makes sense right?
Key Design Elements To Prioritise
As with most health-related topics. There are a few foundational pieces that you need to get right.
Once you have air quality, mattress and temperature under control. The rest is really just ‘finishing touches’.
Air Quality
This is where we start. Indoor air quality has a huge impact on both comfort and health.
Did you know that 46% of Americans live with air pollution that poses a risk to their health? That pollution doesn’t magically disappear when you step indoors. It will find its way into your bedroom.
Arguably the easiest way to improve indoor air quality is to adopt a minimalist approach. Large furniture not only takes up space but often off-gas toxins known as Volatile Organic Compounds (or VOCs). Synthetic fabrics, cheap paints and more also contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Here are a few key tips:
- Use low VOC or zero VOC paint on bedroom walls
- Choose furniture made from natural materials (solid wood instead of pressed wood)
- Keep indoor plants to a minimum. (Some can actually worsen mould and humidity issues)
- Use an air purifier if outdoor pollution is bad where you live
Bedding and Sleep Surface
The sleep surface is the most important element in your bedroom. When it comes to mattress and bedding there’s only one choice that will give you the health benefits you’re looking for.
A hypoallergenic mattress.
Don’t settle for just any mattress. Dust mites, allergens and toxins are hidden everywhere you look when it comes to traditional mattresses.
For example….did you know that most mattresses contain tiny pieces of fiberglass? That’s right. That soft comfy mattress you sank into last night is literally made with thousands of tiny glass shards.
Essentia fiberglass free mattresses mean you and your family are not spending their sleeping hours laying on shredded glass.
On top of that. All Essentia mattresses are hypoallergenic, dust mite resistant and made without chemicals.
Besides the mattress. Keep your sheets and pillow cases as simple as possible. Organic cotton or linen is best. You want breathable, long-lasting and allergen resistant materials.
Don’t sweat the pile of pillows on your bed either. All of those pillows are just there to gather dust.
Temperature Control
Temperature plays a bigger role in sleep quality than most people realise. There’s been numerous studies that show the ideal sleeping temperature falls between 18°C to 22°C.
Sleeping in a room even 1 degree hotter can decrease your sleep efficiency.
While keeping your bedroom cool is important. The easiest ways to do so don’t involve blasting the air conditioner.
Try a few of these tips:
- Use natural fibre bedding. Cotton sheets, wool blankets and more help wick away moisture.
- Invest in blackout curtains that provide insulation
- Use a ceiling fan instead of air conditioning
- Crack your bedroom door so that air can circulate
Lighting
Ever wondered why you have a harder time sleeping in some rooms compared to others?
Believe it or not. But the light has a huge effect on your body’s ability to prepare for sleep.
Blue light from electronics and modern bulbs suppresses the body’s natural melatonin production. Less melatonin = less sleepy.
If you want a bedroom that promotes sleep. Control the light with these tips.
- Install dimmable light switches and use warm lights.
- Use blackout curtains or blinds to completely block outside light.
- Keep screens out of the bedroom.
- Keep a small bedside lamp with a warm light bulb for reading.
Choosing The Right Mattress For Better Sleep (and Air Quality)
Let’s talk about mattresses…
The mattress is the centerpiece of any bedroom. When you’re practicing minimalism every item in your space should have purpose. Don’t clutter your room up with just anything.
That being said…your mattress should be the last mattress you ever buy.
Investing in a high-quality hypoallergenic mattress will drastically improve your bedroom air quality and comfort.
When shopping for a new mattress remember these three things.
Material
Traditional mattresses are full of allergens and unhealthy materials. Flame retardant chemicals, memory foam, even fiberglass are all commonly found in mattresses.
If possible, look for mattresses made WITHOUT fiberglass fire barriers.
Natural and Organic materials are best.
Certifications
Every brand will tout how healthy and clean their mattresses are. Don’t take their word for it. Look for 3rd party certifications.
Tests done by independent companies are the best way to verify a mattress’s health claims.
Easy Bedroom Tweaks That Have BIG Impact
Thinking of giving your bedroom a makeover? Try starting with these tips.
Declutter your room ASAP. The less stuff you have laying around the less dust you’ll have to breathe.
Swap out your chemical cleaners for natural. Everything you use to clean your home ends up in your bedroom’s air.
Dust and wash your pillows and bedding once a week. Hot water is your friend when killing dust mites.
Remove your carpet. If you have carpet in your bedroom it’s time to rip it up. Dust mites and allergens love carpets.
Don’t bring technology into the bedroom. This includes TVs, phones, Kindles and more. The bedroom should only be used for sleep.
Wrapping Things Up
Minimalist bedroom designs can go beyond just looks. Use these tips to turn your bedroom into a clean, healthy and minimalist sleep environment.
Pro tip: start with the foundations
- Clean Air
- Mattress
- Temperature
Everything else is just ‘icing on the cake’.
