A sleep-friendly bedroom is like a `good snuggle'
Brain research has shown how relevant sleep is to health, so it's more important than ever to get a good night's sleep.
In the bedroom, that means not just decorating in calming colors but also minimizing stressors and optimizing conditions for a restful night. We asked some experts for advice and products to achieve that.
Minimize noise
A key obstacle to uninterrupted sleep is noise. To reduce it, Brooklyn-based architect and designer Adam Mesh berg, founder of Mesh berg Group, recommends soundproofing the walls — building an additional thin wall in front of the original, adding a layer of QuietRock drywall, or sealing any cracks or gaps within the walls. To a lesser extent, wallcoverings also can absorb sound, he said, though a padded wallcovering will do more than a simple wallpaper.
Cracks and gaps are also a problem when it comes to windows. Restoring or replacing drafty windows won't just improve your heating and cooling bills; doing so can make a huge difference in the amount of noise seeping in. If renovation isn't an option, some companies will install a thin window behind your existing window for extra soundproofing. Ci ti Quiet in New York said it can eliminate 95 percent of street noise.
For a simpler fix, getting an upholstered headboard (or a bed that comes with one) helps with acoustics, said Florida-based designer Adriana Hoyos. Go for fabrics at least 1 millimeter thick; suede, velvet, leather and leatherette are stylish options for absorbing excess noise.
For a quiet, relaxing environment, Andrew Bowen, director of staging at ASH NYC, suggests a combination of loose items: a large area rug( he likes the Rug Company's Deep Pile Merino Natural Rug ,$137 per square foot), floor- to- ceiling window drapery and a fully upholstered bed (he recommends Cisco Brothers' April Modern Classic White Linen Slipcovered Bed, $2,375$3,000 at Kathy Kuo Home).
Alternatively, try white noise. A fan might do the trick, but Julien Baeza, assistant project manager at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles, suggests Spot if ya nd soundscape machines.
Lights out
Lights out is essential to bedtime. In particular, avoid exposure to the blue light from LED bulbs and electronic devices, said Pablo Castillo, sleep medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic. “The body reacts to this artificial light as if it (were) still daytime,” he said in an email, “and the pine al gland will stop producing the sleep hormone mela ton in, resulting in poor sleep quality.”
That's why you should stay away from bright light for at least three hours before bedtime, reduce screen time and set devices on night mode an hour or two before bed, plus use blue-light-blocking coating on screens or glasses if you“use computers and digit al devices heavily ,” Castillo wrote.
To light proof the bedroom ,“black out window treatments are a must,” said Greg Roth, a designer at Home Front Build in Los Angeles. “Installing a corn ice box at the ceiling level can help prevent light from escaping upward from the windows and reflecting off the ceiling .” Mesh berg recommends the Shade Store and Somfy for motorized shades.
Soft and simple
Simplify your space for sleeping only. It doesn't matter whether you live in a mansion or a studio, you can declutter for a calming effect, said Meridith Baer, founder of staging company Meridith Baer Home.
Asleep-friendly bedroom is like a“good snuggle,” one that makes you “feel embraced and safe ,” like a coco on, said Alex P. White, a furniture designer and decorator based in New York and Los Angeles. So keep things“ton al and tactile with as many luxurious materials as your budget allows.”
As for decor, keep things light and uncomplicated, New York designer Ryan Korban said. He recom mends using light-colored paints that are warm and not stark (he likes Lily White from Benjamin Moore) and light-wood floors.
For the most soothing tone, Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of t he Pantone Color Institute, recommends sky blue, writing in an email that it's a “positive color” with a sense of “dependability” that can help you fall asleep. You can create a “blue sky” by painting the ceiling, Eiseman suggests. Make it high-gloss for more definition.
Focus on the bed
No doubt, t he most important component is the bed. That's why selecting the right mattress, sheets and pillows can help you get a good slumber. Mesh berg
recommends 200- to 300-thread-count organic cotton sheets such as the Classic Starter Sheet Set (starting at $93, Brooklinen) and the Italian VintageWashed 464 Percale Sheet Set ($369-$429, Restoration Hardware). They “breathe well” and don't get “too satiny and shiny” like sheets with higher thread counts.
Also ,“the quality and proper weight of your duvet and down comforter are essential in regulating your temperature ,” Mesh berg wrote. Generally, 700fill comforters are best for winter and 600fill works well during summer. (Fill refers to down; synthetics might be labeled as heavyweight or lightweight.) He recommends the down comforters from Brooklinen ($199-$299) and the Organic Italian Vintage- Washed 464 Percale Duvet ( $ 389$449) from Restoration Hardware. (The National Sleep Foundation also recommends setting your thermostat at 60 to 67 F .)
For a mattress, he suggests Casper's Original ($ 595-$ 1,195) or Wave ($1,345-$2,495) for those who prefer more support. The Beautyrest Re charge Dawson 12 1/2-inch hybrid firm matt r ess ( $ 1 , 299-$ 1 , 999, mattressfirm.com) works well for those sharing beds with restless sleepers because the memory foam won't move around as much, Meshberg said.
As for pillows ,“synthetic is the best” because you can wash it, he said.