A sleepless night can be attributed to a lot of reasons. Some blame the lumpy mattress, their snoring spouse, the hot temperature, or the extra anxiety that comes with a stressful day. But one way to ensure a good night sleep is the environment. Dark colors on the wall, wrong curtains on the windows, and even clutter filling the nightstands can prohibit your chances for an oasis to call your own.

No matter the size of the master bedroom or type of home, there are some easy fixes for your condo, apartment, or house to create an atmosphere that will aid a restful night.

Feng Shui

“Feng shui — which literally translates to ‘wind and water’ — is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The goal is to enhance the flow of chi (life force or spiritual energy), and to create harmonious environments that support health, beckon wealth and invite happiness.”

1. Start with calm colors. Earth tones and cool coloring provide the healing energy feng shui supports.
2. Position the bed. Keep the bed in an area where you can see the entrance but far enough away that provides a tranquil balance.
3. Avoid clutter and distractions. Make certain the master bedroom is simple and clean but also free from past pain or negativity.
4. Remove the stress. The bedroom is a place for rest. Leave behind a loud television, a pile of work, and any exercise equipment. Use it for its main purpose: relaxation.

Paint on the Wall

While searching for tranquil colors in a bedroom, there are a lot of colors to consider and others to completely avoid. Subtle choices in color will instill a sense of relaxation and calmness while others can hinder an 8-hour sleep.

1. Blues: Think about all the spas and retreats painted in shades of blue: robin-egg, cool blue, and blue-gray alike. Want to think outside the box? HGTV suggests “painting light blue on your ceiling to give the look of greater height.”
2. Lavender: A lot of violets are bold and flashy but a lavender splash on the wall can add personality without distracting.
3. Grays: Known as the new beige, grays offer a sophisticated and soothing neutral color that is airy and pairs well with other colors.

The good news is a gallon of paint can cost around $40 or less depending on the quality and supplies are minimum. So do not worry about breaking the bank to create your oasis. A quick trip to the hardware store is the first step.

Combining a blue or lavender with a gray comforter or gray walls can create the balance you are looking for.

The Curtains

With so many choices of fabric and style, curtain shopping can be daunting. But to gain endless sleeping nights in the bedroom, consider one type of curtain: blackout. Besides lowering energy bills and canceling out noisy neighbors, the National Sleep Foundation credits blackout curtains a simple addition to help sleep. Bright lights from the streets and loud cars passing by help catch the light and noise onto the curtain versus onto your walls.

White Noise

While some can endure a quiet sleeping space with ear plugs, others benefit from soft music or white noise to fill the space. Air purifiers can serve not only the issues with an eerily quiet sleeping space but also filters out impurities, dander, and dust. Classical music or soft sounds of a babbling brook, tree frogs, or a thunderstorm through a sound machine may be the ticket to adding some sound to the room without disrupting your heart rate.

A word of caution: stay free of a nightstand cell phone app. Having your phone bedside may tempt you from a restful sleep. If an app is your best choice, move your phone across the bedroom to maximize the tempting space in arm’s reach.

Plants

A lot of misconceptions have confused people for years when it comes to plants in the bedroom. Dreams.co.uk  provide some context behind the debate. “During the photosynthesis process, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and emit oxygen, but because plants require light to photosynthesize, at night the process reverses and plants take in oxygen while emitting carbon dioxide.”

On the opposite side of the conversation, research notes a number of plants can “lower your blood pressure and heart rate… suppress airborne germs, release water vapor, and remove indoor air pollutants and chemicals.”

Purchasing an indoor plant for the bedroom may be a confusing choices. Try these top indoor plants for the bedroom:

1. The snake plant has been noted by NASA as one of the top 10 best air filtering houseplants. The plant emits oxygen at night (and day) naturally allowing for fresh and clean air. Learn the best care for snake plants @ GardeningMentor.com..
2. Did you know in ancient times people who fill their pillows with lavender flowers and leaves? You probably know essential oils like lavender are used during a massage and in diffusers but many forget its origin lies within the plant. The blue petals also complement the cool colors in your room.
3. Credited in Asian culture as a natural health aid, for thousands of years jasmine has been used to help with restless nights caused by anxiety or depression. Though commonly used in topical or lotion form (even as a tea), jasmine can easily be maintained indoors.

If indoor plants are not an option due to allergies, pets, or a curious baby crawling around, try to use a diffuser with plant oils. Any with anti-anxiety relief or a tranquil spa experience will promote the refreshing scents needed to give the senses a healthy break. A few can even be used in a humidifier or vaporizer if needed during the winter months.

Need extra support?

Maybe you already have tried creating the perfect feng shui, painted a light gray on the walls, and taken care of the lavender but you STILL cannot sleep? You may need to consider any health or mental health issues causing sleep deprivation. Contact the Alaska Sleep Clinic for either a free sleep consultation or sleep study to determine the issues.