When it comes to falling asleep, our brains are still hard-wired to respond best to the same things that would have made our ancestors sleepy way back, says Dr. Sally Augustin, an applied environmental psychologist and principal at Design With Science. They needed soothing natural surroundings, a safe nook and a view of what might be approaching. “In those environments, we felt comfortable and protected, but not overwhelmed,” says Augustin.
Recreating that type of environment as much as possible in your bedroom—with both inexpensive design solutions, smart splurges and expert help—can be beneficial when you’re trying to fall asleep. Here’s where to spend and how to design your bedroom accordingly.
The Perfect Bed
The biggest factor in a good night’s sleep? What you’re sleeping on. So if you’re going to spend big bucks on one single thing in your bedroom it should be your mattress. After all, this is a long-term investment—and your back will thank you. Options abound, from horsehair-stuffed mattresses with five-figure price points, to foam mattresses that form to your body. As individual preferences and ergonomic needs vary widely, Augustin recommends taking advantage of the option, available from many companies, to test drive your mattress. “It gives you control over the experience,” says Augustin, “and we’re more comfortable when we have control over our environments.”
Where your bed goes in your room may also help you sleep. Ideally, your bed will have a view of the entrance to the room, she says, but be somewhat behind the door as it opens. This is so you can see who is coming in, yet have the door blocking you from view. And yes, this arrangement dates back to our primitive instinct to want to be able to see what’s approaching us, but not be seen—it’s how we feel safe as we’re drifting off to sleep.
Keep It Simple
Another vital aspect to your bedroom design should be keeping in check what Augustin calls “visual complexity.” This can entail anything from clutter to your decor, from papers on a desk to framed pictures and knick-knacks covering every surface. “You want to have a few things out on the table tops, but not much,” says Augustin. “You don’t want your bedroom to be stark. That’s not comforting, but keep clutter down in terms of what you’re seeing as you fall asleep.”
If you’re having trouble getting your bedroom in order on your own—or you’re at an impasse with your partner—hire an organizational expert. Prices will vary depending on where you live and how many sessions you need, but they can help you streamline your possessions, reorganize what you do keep, manage unwieldy closets or underbed spaces and generally help transform your bedroom into a place of calm, not clutter.
Pamper Your Senses
All five senses are involved when it’s time to sleep, including your auditory experience. And happily, it’s quite inexpensive, with streaming music services, to create a calming soundscape. “Try playing soundtracks of peaceful, natural environments,” says Augustin. As for scents, “the research does indeed show that smelling lavender can help you relax, however you choose to use it,” she says. Detergents with a lavender fragrance or satchels of the herb can lightly scent your linens, for example, and cost little.
Silk sheets make any bed feel fit for a king, and they’re also renowned for being gentler on your hair and skin, as well as being hypoallergenic. (They’re also stronger than cotton, so they may last longer.) A set of silk sheets costs anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to more than a thousand, or you can opt for just silk pillowcases to pamper your face while you’re sleeping. Silk alternatives—usually sateen weave cotton—offer the same luxurious feeling on your skin at a lower price point.
Stay Cozy
A cool temperature is usually recommended for the bedroom, says Augustin, although depending on the environment you’re used to and what you like to sleep in, the specific thermostat point could vary. “In the end, you need to be comfortable,” says Augustin. “Not too hot, not too cold.”
Bedding is essential for providing the right temperature. The warmest option is down, and if you opt for a down duvet, look for a box construction, so the feathers—and the heat—stay evenly distributed. If you have allergies, consider a softer, lighter silk duvet, which is hypoallergenic and, like down duvets, usually costs a few hundred dollars. Synthetics are also hypoallergenic and feel as luxurious as down at a lower cost.
The Right Light
Blocking light, whether early morning sun or streetlights, is critical in a room intended for sleep, although Augustin believes black out curtains are extreme. Instead, try room darkening curtains. At over a hundred dollars per panel, they’re more expensive than their shiny synthetic cousins, but they come in more eye-pleasing materials, such as silk.
Also keep in mind that other types of light affect sleep and relaxation, too. “If you have a bedside light, try to keep it a relatively warm color,” she says. “Warm light is more relaxing than cool light.”
Beware Gadgets
Mindful usage of screens is also critical to being able to fall asleep, since smartphones, tablets and computer screens all emit blue light, and blue light can be energizing, says Augustin. If you choose to read on a digital device, make sure it’s set to a warmer light, but ban television watching from the bedroom altogether. As Augustin points out, television shows are designed to be captivating—not make you sleepy.
And if you find you don’t have the self-control to stay off your gadgets before bedtime, enforce a total technology ban in the bedroom. Instead of using your phone to tell you the time or as your alarm, buy an alarm clock that doesn’t light up your room with red or blue light, which may disrupt your sleep.
Julie Anne Russell is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist. She writes on personal finance, small business, travel and more.
Learning to unplug can help you get more restful sleep, too. Read Break Out of Burnout Culture to learn more.