Getting good quality sleep is essential to living a healthy lifestyle, sleep is important for many bodily functions like hormones and even weight loss. So what is the secret to getting sound sleep at night? Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes when it comes to sleep, however, there are some things that you can do to help improve your chances of falling asleep and staying asleep longer.

There are many proven ways of getting sound sleep, and in this guide, we will cover everything you need to know to be able to sleep soundly and wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. The first step to getting sound sleep is to create an environment that you can sleep in. If you have been struggling to sleep you may want to have a rethink about whether your bedroom is actually conducive to sleep. There are many things you should think about when you are setting up a bedroom to be used as a sleeping space. 




Choosing a colour 

The first thing you should check is the colour of the room, bright colours like yellow and orange can be invigorating and energising so they may not be suited to an environment where you want to go to sleep. Maybe choosing cooler muted tones might be a better option to go with. 

Choosing a layout

The layout of your bedroom is important. You should try to arrange your furniture so that all areas are easily accessible and free-flowing, for example; placing the bed in the centre of the wall as opposed to it being up against a wall. If you are short on space you could choose a loft-style bed so you can fully utilise the space underneath for furniture. Whatever you choose, you want to be able to reach all areas easily. There is nothing worse than getting up in the middle of the night and stubbing your toe on a piece of furniture that could be positioned better if you fully utilised your space.

Choosing storage options 

Your bedroom should be minimalistic and free of clutter. You know what they say, a cluttered home is representative of a cluttered mind. Keeping your bedroom free from clutter will be beneficial in your search for better sleep, but it will also keep you happy and healthy. In order to keep your bedroom free of clutter, you will need to Incorporate bedroom furniture that has organisation in mind. One simple trick is to choose bedside cabinets that have drawers so you can keep nicknacks inside. 

There are lots of great storage solutions these days. You can choose from drawer organisers to baskets and hangers, helping you better organise your clothing and nicknacks, avoiding clutter. Another thing that people tend to overlook is storing things on top of the wardrobe, this can give you a feeling of being closed in which can make you feel claustrophobic. If you are feeling uneasy at bedtime then you may have trouble sleeping. 

If you are short on space you may be having trouble finding somewhere to store items that need to be kept in the bedroom, we overcame this by purchasing an ottoman bed. This has enabled us to hide away all of the things that would clutter up the bedroom, and the best thing is only you know they are there so out of sight, out of mind.

Choosing the right mattress

Choosing the right mattress for you is super important when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Choosing the wrong type of mattress can impact the quality of sleep you get as well as how you feel when you wake up in the morning. A mattress that is too hard can be uncomfortable and leave you feeling restless, which could cause you to wake up during the night. A mattress that is too soft can lead to back pain, so it is important to choose a mattress that is comfortable but practical. 

There are many different types of mattresses available from sprung to memory foam or even a combination of both. When you are choosing a mattress you should go to a store that is designed for beds and mattresses. You should be able to test drive your mattress before you buy it, it’s no good ordering one without even laying on it first. How will you know if it is too hard or too soft if you don’t even get to sit on it?




What bedding should you use?

Just as your mattress is important, so is your choice of bedding, you want to be comfortable and cosy, but for you to get the quality sleep you need, you also need to be cool. It is important you choose the right thickness of duvet that doesn’t make you wake up sweating during the night or cause you to wake up to remove the covers. If either of these things is happening you will need to change the thickness of the duvet. All duvets are measured in thickness by tog, winter duvets are higher tog and summer duvets are lower tog. You will want one that is in between a summer and a winter duvet.

Pillows are somewhat of a subjective matter and it doesn’t matter who you ask, the answers will probably be different each time. I personally like to use a regular pillow in combination with a V pillow whereas my partner prefers 2 regular pillows. There are so many options to choose from when you are looking to purchase pillows, and just like your mattress, it is important to choose the correct ones. You want a pillow that is going to be comfortable but one that will also support your neck. A pillow that is too thick may cause you to have a stiff neck, whereas a thinner pillow may not be enough to support your neck. You may have to test a few different types until you find one you like.

Should you have a TV in the bedroom

Having a TV in the bedroom is not advised. Your bedroom should be a place you go to sleep, not watch TV. TV is a stimulant so watching it before bed can cause disrupted sleep and even nightmares. Having a TV in the bedroom can also lead to us staying up later due to the artificial light it emits while watching it. Our bodies work naturally by regulating exposure to light. The way it works is via circadian rhythm. We wake up in the morning when it is light and we go to sleep in the night when it is dark, so if you are extending the daytime by watching TV you will be interrupting the natural circadian rhythm which will have an impact on your sleep.

How to manage light in the bedroom

As mentioned above circadian rhythm is responsible for regulating sleep. We are no longer in an age where our bodies are solely regulated by light and dark because modern-day inventions of street lighting, internal lighting and TV means we are getting more light than we should be, which could affect our sleep. If you live in an area that never gets dark then we recommend using blackout blinds or blackout curtains, or even a combination of both to help keep your sleeping environment dark. 

How to sleep if you live in a noisy area

For me, this was one of the biggest things that impacted my quality of sleep. Thankfully we have moved to a semi-rural location now but one of the things that I did and still do now is to use white noise at night. I keep a fan on which helps to drown out those outside noises allowing you to have better quality sleep. Having a fan running also helps to drown out inside noises, if you live alone this probably won’t be an issue for you, but if you have children or a partner who doesn’t come to bed at the same time as you it can help to eliminate those types of noises that would otherwise wake you up. I’ve even started to use one for my dog after moving to the countryside, it’s full of unfamiliar noises that he doesn’t recognise and he started to bark a lot. Since I’ve started using the fan during the night he no longer barks at all of those unfamiliar noises.