Are you sleeping soundly? A sleep study by The Natural Sleep Company found that 56% of 1,800 Irish adults admitted to having a racing mind at bedtime while 27% mentioned discomfort as an influential factor to their sleeplessness.

Sleep can be disrupted due to feelings of stress, busy lifestyles or unsettling surroundings and unresolved sleep issues can have great effect on our health and performance during the day. To combat the issue of sleeplessness, we’ve put together a list of suggestions and interior design tips and tricks to get you feeling rested and revived!

Firsts things first, take a look at your bed? Is it cosy and inviting? If it isn’t a place of tranquillity, then you need to make some changes. Associate your bed with sleep to get the most out of your slumber zone!

Racing Mind?

A racing mind at bedtime can be due to several reasons. One thing that we need to do is decrease our activity on phones, tablets and stop watching TV late at night … (despite how tempting it is to stay up for that extra episode on Netflix!) Research shows that the blue light from tablets and phones at night interrupts our internal clock, causing it to slip off beat and setting off a cascade of restlessness and morning exhaustion.

We suggest turning off your favourite series at least an hour before bedtime and getting cosy in the sheets with a chamomile tea, a good book and a side lamp. Practice this relaxation induced method every night for an entire week to start a routine and stick to it during the working week! Spritz your pillow with a calming lavender scented pillow spray to encourage peacefulness… (and create fragrance heaven!)

Comfort is Key!

As The Natural Sleep Company study suggests, comfort is key to a better night’s sleep and a healthier, happier lifestyle. Your bed should be associated with sleep, so it’s a good idea to keep the room for just that, spending free time outdoors or in the living room to relax.

Many people in Ireland are likely to be sleeping on a mattress or bed that doesn’t suit their needs. As a rule of thumb, it is recommended to replace your mattress every 7-10 years as general wear and tear breaks down the firmness. If you share a sleeping space, it’s also important to own a mattress that comfortably fits both you and your partner. Squeezing onto a queen size bed isn’t ideal and can cause restlessness as you feel your partners every fidget and stretch! … (or hear their snoring serenade right in your ear!). Pillow comfort is also key to sleeping soundly, so invest in quality that supports your head and neck.

Comfort connotes feelings of contentment, which you feel when you know you’re safe and secure in your home. To capitalise on these feelings, embellish your doors with knurled copper door handles. Projecting warm, industrial tones, this style of door handles offer an element of luxe with visual depth while also feeling robust and secure in hand. The satin stainless steel and matte black version are modern alternatives to the copper finish, providing a stylish option for all interior colour palettes.

Declutter and Deep Clean

Bedroom clutter causes stress as the visual stimuli overwhelms the brain. Get organised by starting a ‘tidy-up’ routine to maintain the organisation of your living space! Use the laundry basket to store your worn clothes before machine washing and hang items back into the wardrobe once dried. Avoid the build up of drinks on your bedside table and keep bits and bobs in drawers and storage systems to preserve a clean, clear surface.

Regular cleaning is also important for a healthy night’s sleep. Moving the bed to hoover behind and underneath is an essential task which should be done once a month to maintain freshness in every corner! Dusty, damp and mouldy rooms can seriously affect your health, wellbeing and breathing. Beyond the immediate allergy symptoms, mould exposure often causes sleep related issues which can be the reason why you’re struggling to doze off. Mould in the bedroom can slowly destroy your home and belongings, causing unwanted symptoms such as itchy or red eyes, wheezing, sneezing or coughing, runny nose and/or a skin rash. Once the bedroom is clean from allergens and dirt, make sure to keep windows ajar at night to circulate fresh air and room ventilation.

Routine, routine, routine

This one’s important. In addition to your clutter-free plan, you should think about getting your lifestyle more organised during the work week. By going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day, you’ll naturally reset your body clock, making morning rising a much easier task! To get the best out of your snoozing, try earplugs, an eye mask or an alarm clock lamp that slowly gets brighter as it nears to your set wake-up time.

The Darker the Better!

Darkness in the bedroom invites more deep sleep in which your breathing, heartbeat, body temperature, and brain waves reach their lowest levels. Your muscles are extremely relaxed during this time which leads onto the healing stage of sleep, when tissue growth and repair takes place. This part of sleep is essential for our health as important hormones are released to do their jobs, and cellular energy is restored.

To maximise your hours of sleep, invest in some thick, black-out curtains to prevent premature waking from bright street lights at night time and early sun rises during summer months.

We hope to inspire your home improvement projects by offering a variety of high-quality products that excel in both aesthetic and performance. If you love all things interior and want more home inspiration, check out our previous blog Modern Country Home Interiors.