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We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, so the environment we spend our nights in is extremely important for our health. When decorating your bedroom, it is essential that you consider the health implications of the items you choose. These items can make or break your health because every single thing you put in your bedroom contributes to the quality of your sleep. So let’s review the most important bedroom items and how they can either help or hinder your rest.
1. Your Mattress Is Either With You or Against You
That’s right, the mattress you choose for your bedroom will define the quality of your sleep. It is the central element precisely because you spend your nighttime hours on it. To find the right mattress, you have to put in the time for your research. You might be tempted to choose an extra firm mattress because it is said to be the ideal choice for back health. But that is not always the case. In fact, if it’s not suited to your particular needs, that extra firm mattress might end up giving you back pain instead. A soft mattress, on the other hand, might seem like the comfortable choice. But does it provide enough spine support? Probably not.
The key to finding the best mattress to support your back is to get to know your sleeping patterns. Do you usually sleep on your side? Your back? Your belly? Do you wake up in the same position you went to sleep in or do you change positions a lot during the night? Talk to your partner to find out more about your individual sleeping patterns and then choose a mattress that provides the best support for the type of sleeper that you are.
2. Your Pillow Will Either Help You Sleep or Keep You Awake
Having the ideal mattress is not enough to get a good night’s sleep. Your pillow and cover also play an important part, so make sure you find the right fit. A good pillow has to support your neck but it also has to be compatible with your sleeping patterns. In fact, if you sleep on your side, you may benefit from having two pillows in your bed, one to support your neck and another that goes under your bent leg to support your spine. This second pillow elevates your leg and helps keep your spine in a physiological position.
The result? You won’t wake up with knee pain or back pain. If you prefer lying on your stomach while you sleep, then a second pillow will benefit you as well. You’ll need a flat pillow under your belly to elevate your spine and keep it in a proper position. Another key element of choosing the right pillow (or pillows) is to go and just try it out. See how you feel when sleeping on various types of pillows that are suited for your sleeping patterns, and choose the one that feels the best. Better nights are guaranteed to come.
3. Your Curtains and Drapes Will Define Your Nighttime Breathing Space
If you suffer from allergies, then the curtains and drapes you choose for your bedroom will have a pivotal role in the quality of your sleep. Why? Because they can entertain those allergies. Curtains and drapes gather dust, dust mites, dander, pet dander, and other microscopic elements that will trigger allergic reactions. Even if you don’t suffer from allergies already, sleeping in a room with dusty curtains and drapes might make you develop allergies in time. One of the most important things to consider when choosing curtains and drapes is the fabric. While there are no 100% hypoallergenic curtains out there, avoiding synthetic fabrics will help tremendously.
So stay away from anything synthetic and go with cotton, silk, or linen instead. Maintenance is also important because keeping your curtains and drapes clean and dust-free will help you sleep better. Ideally, you should wash them once a week, but that might be difficult to do, so make sure to vacuum them regularly to keep that dust off. The other important role that curtains and drapes have is to keep the light out while you sleep. Depending on how dark you prefer your bedroom to be, choose opaque or semi-opaque drapes.
Choose these three bedroom items correctly and you will sleep like a baby and wake up feeling well-rested and ready to take on the new day. As you can see, the key element to finding the right mattress, pillow, curtains, and drapes is knowing your own sleeping patterns, so pay attention to yourself and your habits to find the ideal choices for you.