How would you characterize your bedroom? Is it comfy and cozy, relaxing, soothing and inviting? Is it a warm cocoon, a haven of rest, a sanctuary, a place where you look forward to entering after a long day?
Or is it a glorified storage closet with a bed. Is it so chaotic that you keep the door closed so you don’t have to think about it until you have to navigate the piles of laundry to find a place to lay down at night. Do you spring out of bed in the morning, not because you feel rested and ready to meet the day, but because you can’t wait to get the heck out of there?
Or maybe it is somewhere in between these two?
Here are some things to think about when trying to create a comfortable sleep-inducing cocoon. (These are taken from page 410 in Dr. A’s Habits of Health Book.)
1) Choose a color for your room that is soothing. Pastels or rich, warm dark colors work well.
2) Choose appropriate lighting. Avoid fluorescent lights. Buy light bulbs that do not have blue light in them. Candle light is lovely but make sure you blow it out before you go to sleep.
3) Make sure the room is completely dark. Use room darkening shades that keep all outside sources from coming in.
4) Make your bedroom an electronic device free zone. Relocate the TV, computer, and leave your phone in another room. Cover the glowing clocks and use blue light free night lights.
5) Make it smell nice. Try different soothing aromatic scents in a diffuser or on a handkerchief slipped into your pillow case.
6) Make it as quiet as possible. Use a white noise or natural sound machine to create a relaxing soundscape and to mask outside noises.
7) Choose the right Goldilocks inspired mattress, pillows and bedding, not too hard, not too soft, but just right for you.
8) Keep the temperature below 68 degrees. Avoid electric blankets or blankets that raise your core body temperature and make you sweat.
9) Wear comfortable light clothes to sleep in.
10) Declutter your space so you can relax.
Which of these ideas can you start using right away to help transform or improve your sleeping area so it becomes a sleep inducing cocoon?