Creating a Sanctuary to Maximize Your Rest

We’ve been told time and time again that our bedrooms should be a calming space for relaxation and rest, but what exactly does that look like? The smallest changes to our space can make the largest differences in our sleep, and maximizing our rooms with minimalist approaches has a significant impact on how we fall and stay asleep. 

The first step in achieving a more consistent sleep is making sure you are sleeping in total darkness. The slightest light from our phones or even from the moonlight or streetlights through our windows is severely detrimental to the quality of sleep we get. So even if you think that just a little light doesn’t hurt because you’re still getting in those 8+ hours, your quality of sleep still diminishes. Our minds are stimulated by light in the day time, so any lights during sleep confuses our brains into thinking we are supposed to be awake. Darkness matters, and, to achieve total relaxation, we must be totally in the dark. If black-out shades aren’t your vibe, try out a cute sleeping mask to block out any lights that may be distracting you from your rest!

Another easy way to maximize your sleep is reserving your sleep area for  sleep-time activities only! Our phones, TV’s, and hangout spaces should be away from our beds. Instead, try creating a sleep activity bubble for yourself. Sleep activities include, but are not limited to, knitting, coloring/drawing/painting, journaling, reading, or even listening to your favorite soothing songs or podcasts. These sleep activities, when done consistently, will signal to your brain that you are winding down and preparing for rest, putting you into “rest mode” before you actually fall asleep. Another useful Overnight Tip is to light our Twilight candle while getting ready for bed. The notes of sage and lavender are meant to create a calming and peaceful atmosphere, and scents are a great way to remind your body of what it needs. The more you do these activities before sleep, the more your body prepares itself for sleep, and being overly prepared never hurt anybody! 

Have you noticed yourself getting a better sleep in the winter than the summer? Me too! Something I never thought of until I began to examine my sleep was the temperature in my room while I slept. Our bodies regulate themselves while we sleep, and in order to do that they need to be at a comfortable resting temperature. It shouldn’t be too hot or too cold while we sleep, which is why ONB recommends keeping our rooms between 60-70° because a cool (not cold!) and comfortable temperature is sure to help you fall and stay asleep. This study concluded that our room temperature is one of the most important factors in achieving and maintaining serious quality sleep. This tip is a MAJOR GAMECHANGER, and one of the easiest tips to help you chill out...literally.

Our final Overnight Tip is one you’ve heard a million times, and that is to make sure your sleep space is one that you enjoy. Make your sleeping area your favorite area with comfortable accents and colors. Neutral, calming tones are essential to this practice, and colors send a strong message to our brains about what is going on within a space. Seek enjoyment in simplicity without harshness for a more relaxing space. Textural elements play an important role in our sleep too. Soft textures such as a comfy blanket, or soft pillows help stimulate our eyes in the right way, adding warmth and a cozy quality to our spaces, encouraging a more calming, enriching sleep. 

We want to look at the place we’re going to sleep and feel calm and peaceful, not cluttered and isolated from our goals. In following the above steps, we can make that happen for ourselves in simple, yet full, ways. Maximizing our sleep sometimes means minimizing clutter and distractions from our sleep. Simple, effective, and actually fun!