Most healthy people fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes of getting into bed–and the most it should take if you want to get good quality sleep, is half an hour. Anything longer than that and it could be a sign that you need to work on your sleep latency. There are many factors that help make you feel sleepy; it is vital to follow a relatively strict sleep routine, avoid screen use and stimulating beverages at night, and battle stress throughout the day through practices such as breathing and meditation. But here’s another crucial aspect that should not be overlooked: your bedroom design – it might sound surprising, but it’s true; your interior design style can be influential to how quickly you fall asleep.
Calming Colors
Human beings have a tight emotional bond with the visible aspect of the electromagnetic spectrum—and the colors that surround us can induce stress or calm, depending on your choices. A study by psychologists at the University of Sussex has found that the most relaxing colors to be surrounded by are navy blue, closely followed by teal-like turqouise, and soft or baby pink. Blue and green can also induce a state of calm and relaxation. Additionally, bear in mind that the more saturated the color is, the more it can stimulate or excite you. Moreover, colors that are inspired by plants, trees, and oceans produce joy and calm, while red is associated with anger.
Choosing Natural Furniture
Even if you have a small bedroom, investing in quality space-saving furniture is vital if you want to create a truly restful environment. Wood has a power effect on people’s wellbeing, with studies shown that indoor plants and solid wood furniture reduces stress owing to the positive emotional experience that wood creates. Natural furniture is part of the biophilic design concept, which seeks to blur the divide between indoor outdoor living. This is achieved through the selection of natural materials, nature-inspired imagery and colors, and a proliferation of indoor plants. You can make the most of your available space by choosing pull-put beds and desks, or storage furniture that doubles up as a desk (if you use your bedroom as a home office). Hang plants from wooden beams or on shelves, or turn one of your bedroom walls into a vertical indoor garden.
Tapping Into Your Sense of Smell
In order to fall asleep quickly, you should avoid using screens in the half-hour prior to bedtime. In general, your bedroom should be completely devoid of all gadgets—including televisions. One device you should definitely consider, though, is an essential oil diffuser. Oils like lavender and bergamot have been found to induce a state of calm. One review on lavender essential oil published in the journal Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine indicated that exposure to this oil for seven days significantly exhibited anxiety and depression symptoms. If anxiety tend to keep you tossing and turning, lavender may help you achieve a shorter sleep latency. From a design perspective, there are various diffuser styles, ranging from Balinese wood to minimalistic and modern.
The Perfect Layout
Choosing the best possible layout for falling asleep is more important than you may think. In a Sleep Junkie survey involving 1,064 people, the setup that was most strongly linked to restful sleep involved centering the bed’s headboard against one wall and placing the bed by a window with the door on the opposite sidewall. One layout to avoid is positioning the bed so that the doorway is at the foot of the bed. The direct sight of a door produces anxiety, perhaps because even adults are secretly still scared of the boogie man.
It pays to invest in your interior design – choose calming colors and scents, and ride hide on the biophilic design wave. Finally, pay attention to your layout, choosing a plan that makes you feel safe and secure.
