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5 interior design mistakes that are costing you a good night’s sleep
National Bed Month was created as an annual reminder that we should invest in our sleep, and with good reason! A well-designed sleep environment plays a crucial role in promoting quality rest. With the clocks going forward on March 31st, we’ll be losing an hour of well-needed sleep. So what better time than now to optimise your bedroom to ensure the sleep we are getting is restorative and uninterrupted?
The interior experts at Casa Bella Furniture have identified five common interior design mistakes that might be sabotaging your sleep. By addressing these issues, you can create a sleep haven that promotes deeper, more restful nights.
Inadequate blinds or curtains
If you often feel like you have restless nights, it could be that you haven’t chosen the right blinds or curtains for your bedroom. Light —whether this is natural or artificial — is one of the biggest influences on our circadian rhythm, the internal body clock that tells us when it’s time to sleep and when to wake up. If you have blinds, curtains, or shutters that let in too much light at night, this can have a big impact on your quality of sleep.
While thin, sheer curtains might look great in terms of aesthetics, you may want to consider adding a second pair of thicker curtains over them or installing blackout blinds onto the window behind them to help you sleep. This way you can still enjoy the look of sheer curtains, but you can block out any glare from sunlight or streetlamps much more effectively. This is particularly important when adjusting to new daylight hours, as our bodies can be more sensitive to light than you may think.
A noisy bedroom environment
As well as managing the light levels in your room, it’s also best to keep noise to a minimum if you want to have the best sleep environment possible. Some people find that white noise machines or soothing voices on some of the popular sleep apps can help them drift off more easily, but other sounds like the television or phone notifications can distract you from getting deep, restorative sleep. So, be sure to turn all your devices off or switch them onto Do Not Disturb mode, as this will prevent any late-night notifications from disturbing your nightly routine. Even if you don’t remember being woken up, hearing sounds like these can still bring you out of deep, slow-wave sleep and leave you feeling groggy the next morning.
If you can’t control the noise levels in your bedroom — for example, if you live in a city or have noisy neighbours — then you can always start wearing earplugs. This is a very affordable solution if you find yourself being woken up by traffic or any other noises throughout the night, as you can find earplugs in most pharmacies or cosmetics shops. Adding thick rugs and plenty of soft furnishings can also help to absorb sound while making your bedroom feel even cosier and inviting.
A poor-quality bed
We spend a third of our lives sleeping or attempting to doze off, so it’s incredibly important to have a good quality bed (NCBI). A firm, supportive, and breathable mattress can make the world of difference in how well you sleep and will prevent you from tossing and turning all night while you try to get comfortable. The same also applies to your bed frame, as a cheap or poorly assembled model will feel far less sturdy and supportive than one made of high-quality, long-lasting materials like solid wood.
These bedroom essentials might be an investment, but this is a much more sustainable way to furnish your home as these pieces will serve you well for years to come. Not only this, but prioritising and investing in better sleep is also one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental well-being, and you’ll start to feel the benefits every day.
Too much clutter
Often, when we’re busy or feeling slightly overwhelmed, this can be reflected by our homes becoming cluttered and messy. However, you may not know that this can impact more than just our ability to be house proud! Living with a lot of clutter provides our brains with too much stimulation, meaning that we can’t focus as easily and find it harder to relax, both physically and mentally (Psychology Today). Keeping things tidy is therefore even more important when it comes to our bedrooms, as they are meant to be a sanctuary where we can go to decompress and recharge.
Try to make tidying your room as easy as possible, so you can get it done quickly and regularly. One way of doing this is by stocking up on a few simple storage solutions, such as adhesive hooks, storage baskets, drawer organisers, and extra shelving. These are an affordable yet very effective way to keep your floor and surfaces clear of as much clutter as possible, allowing you to focus on switching off and getting a great night’s sleep.
Imari Mango Tall Bookshelf – Available in 2 finishes
The wrong layout
The way you design your bedroom and place your furniture can also have an impact on how well you drift off. For example, a recent survey by Sleep Junkie found that the room layout most associated with restful sleep included the bed positioned close to a window, with the headboard at the centre of the main wall.
The layout is also important to consider if you use your bedroom for multiple purposes, such as a home office or workout space. Keeping your desk or laptop as separate as possible from where you sleep and relax can help you maintain a better work-life boundary, even if you work from home. Try to tidy away workout gear like mats or weights when you’re not using them, as this reduces clutter in your bedroom and reminds your subconscious that it’s time to sleep, not work out.
“Your bedroom should be your own personal sanctuary where you unwind, switch off, and recharge. As sleep is so important to our overall well-being, it’s always worthwhile investing in some quality furniture like headboards, mattresses, and blinds, so you can be sure that your bedroom is designed for getting a good night’s rest. Remember that interior design can impact more than just aesthetics, so refreshing your bedroom is a great place to start if you want to sleep better.
“Whether it’s managing any unwanted sound, light, or clutter, you can tailor your home to better suit your sleep needs. It may even be as simple as rearranging your furniture or repositioning your bed in relation to the window — whatever helps you drift off more easily is a step in the right direction.”
About the brand
Established in 2005, Casa Bella Furniture is a small, family-run business specialising in high-quality, solid wood furniture and accessories. Passionate about contemporary, rustic furniture, they have built up a long-lasting relationship with a series of quality suppliers from four continents. As well as constantly creating new, unique designs, Casa Bella Furniture also ensures that its products have been manufactured using ethically sourced materials.
For more information, visit https://www.casabellafurniture.co.uk/
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