These days, society is all about the hustle. Running around from work to school to appointments, one commitment after another, just seems to be ingrained into us from a young age. It’s almost like exhaustion goes hand in hand with adulthood, and most people are just trying to get by until their next cup of coffee.
But what about our rest? What about taking the time to sit back, relax, and breathe in the healing that comes with just being still? We believe that a more rested you is a more fulfilled and successful you. This is why we want to do a mini series on ways you can create environments of restfulness throughout your home. Let’s start with the most important place of rest: the bedroom.
Go easy on the eyes with a soothing paint color
Ultimately, your bedroom should be a place that you feel completely comfortable in, and that will look different for each person. However, there are some interesting studies that suggest certain colors to be more relaxing in general. While these concepts still need significant research to back them up conclusively, we think it’s safe to recommend sticking with colors that are muted or soothing. Try to think about how each paint color makes you feel, and go for something calm, rather than exciting.
Give your mind a break with a noise machine
Sometimes, we all just need a break from our thoughts. Adding some soothing noises to your bedroom can help you break that cycle of always thinking about the next thing on your to-do list. Different sounds work well for different people, so you may need to spend a week or so experimenting. However, we recommend trying one of the following: white noise, ambient music, or nature sounds such as rain, the ocean, birds, etc.
Crank up the ambience with some gentle lighting
Is anything less restful than some horrible, bright light searing your retinas when you are trying to wind down for the day? It doesn’t take much to create a softer glow, and there are so many different ways to do it. Adding lamps with low settings around your room is one obvious way. You can also string up some twinkle lights, place a few nightlights around the room, or get yourself a beautiful Himalayan salt lamp.
Use calming scents to help you relax
Burning a candle or diffusing oils is another great way to create a restful atmosphere in your bedroom. There are a million calming scents to choose from, and it is easy to change depending on the season or your mood. Caramel apple would be wonderfully soothing for a crisp fall evening. And ocean breeze would be perfect for those warm summer nights with the windows open and the fresh air blowing in.
Keep your bedroom free from clutter
For some of us, this may be the most difficult suggestion of all. The bedroom tends to be the place least seen by company. Therefore, it is frequently the last priority when it comes to organizing and cleaning. It’s an easy place to throw all of the clutter from around the house. Simply close the door and your guests will never know.
However, a cluttered space tends to create a cluttered mind. And not only does a cluttered atmosphere decrease productivity, it also increases your stress hormone levels. Of course, being stressed is the exact opposite of what you want when you are trying to chill and recuperate from life. So we highly recommend you take careful stock of what actually needs to be in your room, and give the rest the boot.
Make it a screen-free space
And finally, keep that screen out of your bedroom. Many people use Netflix right before bed to help them “wind down” for the night. Or they lie in bed and scroll their social media until they feel sleepy. But research suggests that screens in the evening may mess with your body’s natural cycle, and can even delay the production of melatonin.
You may have accustomed your body to that nightly episode of your favorite show, but it may be having a negative overall effect on your quality of sleep. We recommend having a set time to power down your phone, turn off the tv, and pull out a good book. Or spend the last few hours before you turn out the lights reconnecting with your spouse, discussing your day, your dreams for the future, or having a good laugh.
Give yourself the gift of rest
We know some of these may seem obvious, but together they are truly a powerful combination. Keep that bedroom intentionally minimalist and only fill it with the things that will help you get the rest and relaxation your body and mind need to function well. We know you won’t regret making some changes and giving yourself the best rest you can.
About EZ Homes Design Team
