Our homes provide shelter away from the craziness of the outside world. They are our protection from the natural elements but they also provide a place for us to relax, feel safe, and let our guard down in an effort to re-charge.
Within our homes, are different rooms for different functions and it’s helpful if these spaces are designed in a way that complement their purpose. Our bedrooms are the place we retreat to at the end of a long day. It’s also the space that embodies us when we awake in the morning. To start and end our day here, rest our hard-working bodies, to connect with our partners; this a vitally important space.
Do you enjoy retreating to your bedroom at night? Is this a place that fills you up and prepares you to go back into the world the next day? Do you feel connected to your partner in this space? Does the space support your intimate connection?
Consider what you require out of your bedroom space. Do you want it to be calm, relaxing and peaceful, or do you want it to be cozy, romantic or playful? Whatever you need, to feel supported in the space, is the biggest priority.
I experimented with our bedroom for about a year until I found what really worked best for us. I tried everything from having the mattress on the floor to having no head board; I tried no colour, too much colour, specific colours… I also tried different themes… Moroccan, Cape Cod and contemporary to name a few.
And after all that, it turns out that we sleep and rest best with a neutral colour palette and very little clutter. With exception of the bed, we only have two side tables and an armoire in our bedroom. Having minimal visual or energetic distractions throughout the space, definitely works best for me.
Have a look around your bedroom. Is it filled with clutter? Paperwork maybe? Bills, kids’ art projects or spare change piled throughout? Do your clothes have a proper home in the closet or drawers? Is there a clear walking path to your bed or are you constantly stepping over things?
Pile up and clutter, even if not in extreme amounts, can create energetic loops that keep our minds constantly racing and can prevent us from sleeping well. Clearing the physical clutter out, may just help us calm the clutter mentally.
A few other things I do to create the space for restful sleep:
Comfortable Sheets: I tend to be very sensitive to material and fabrics, so if I am not careful and sleep on poor quality sheets, I will sweat through them all night long. Not comfortable. Currently I am loving Tencel sheets because they are soft like bamboo and breathe sooo well. I even bring my own sheets to hotels.
Essential Oils: I love me some lavender oil in the diffuser about an hour before we go to bed. I set it on the three-hour timer to ensure it runs for a wee bit even after we have fallen asleep. Creating the right atmosphere in the bedroom at night makes such a difference in our ability to fall and stay asleep.
Electronics: in my last clutter-clearing frenzy, I removed all the electronics from our bedroom. I got rid of the TV, the bulky alarm clocks and anything else that was plugged in and not being used, or not necessary. I got it down to the two bedside lamps and the diffuser. Hubby can bring his cell phone into the room, but only for the alarm and it must be switched to airplane mode. Keeping these vibes out of the bedroom allows for a break from them while sleeping.
Fresh Air: keeping the window open, having a fan, or an air-conditioning unit if necessary, helps regulate the temperature of the room and prevents it from getting stuffy while you sleep. We try to cool our bedroom down about an hour before we go to bed, especially in the warmer months. Having it cooler always helps us sleep better.
Think about setting the tone for your sleep before it’s sleep time. Head up an hour before and open the window, dim the lights and start the diffuser. Like your own personal turn-down service! Then, when you are actually ready for sleep, you can retreat to a calm, relaxing and supportive environment for rest.
Let me know if you have any restful sleeping tips. I have a history of poor sleeping and I will try anything to get a good solid rest. Thanks for sharing!
Live well,
Cher
