Your bedroom should be a sanctuary; a place where you relax, renew, and refresh. If it is unpleasant and cluttered how can you relax? Many of my clients have small condos and therefore offices in their bedroom. They also do laundry sorting and ironing there. Clearly small spaces require double duty in rooms. That's not a problem. Just consider that at the end of the day when you're ready for sleep, those things are not evident. Here are my top five tips for getting a better nights's sleep.
1. Start with an all-clear space under and surrounding the bed Feng Shui masters will tell you that items including paperwork and piles of clothes create blocks that prevent you from feeling grounded (and that also keep your mind busy). For optimal sleep, clear it out or conceal it so that the chi, energy, can flow evenly all night.
2. Consider the things on your floor as dams and try to keep them to a minimum. The river of energy does not move through those dams. Hide your laundry pile in a closet. Place it in the hallway. If you have an office in your bedroom, place everything into decorative boxes or baskets. And if that treadmill in the corner has become a clothes rack, it really should be moved out.
3. Moving your bed away from the wall is wonderful to allow energy to flow around you. It definitely is tricky in small rooms, but is better than having a bed against a wall with access to only one side. Try angling it or create balance - but not necessarily symmetry - on both sides in some way. For example place a nightstand on one side and a wall-mounted shelf on the other. Add a table lamp to your nightstand and a swingarm lamp to your shelf. Believe it or not, you can also float your bed in the center of the room!
4. Don't forget that color influences mood and emotion. Surrounding yourself with a softer palette of beige and cream, silver and gray tones, and even soft green and blue, is peaceful. Bold colors excite and energize. You absolutely can have those colors in your bedroom. Just make them the accent pillows and you can take them off your bed to sleep.
5. Consider the effect of mirrors. I love using mirrors because they open spaces up by reflecting light everywhere. It's interesting to note that in feng shui, mirrors that face the bed have a depleting affect on sleep. They pull energy away from you. My mirror houses a television that my husband adores. The solution is to simply cover the mirror at night with an extra sheet or throw.
6. Conceal your electronics. It's questionable as to what the damage is overtime of having electronics near by. We do know that they stimulate the brain. Therefore having them in your room is going to keep your mind active. Store them in another room, a drawer, and if you must have a phone because you are "on call" place it on the floor I do them right next your head. And of course brings us to the television. Many people love to have a TV to Watch in bed. Just conceal it in a cabinet. With all of the options available for flatscreen TVs now, you can even hang artwork over one.
7. Select bedding that is comfortable and breathable. Linen – the original fabric used for sheets – is the most comfortable and breathable. Cotton is second, and blends of cotton and polyester are last.
8. Be sure your mattress suits your body. There are many mattress toppers that can give you firmness, softness and warmth. It is worth the investment to get a good nights sleep even if your mattress is not perfect. But if you can, invest in a new one
9. Did you know that fragrance affects sleep as well? Consider adding essential oils to potpourri , a room spray, a linen spray, or even a diffuser. Lavender, Bergamot, and Rose are very calming fragrances.
10. Do your pets sleep with you? I personally love having my dogs draped around the bed, but I did increase the size so that I am not pushed to the edge anymore. If you can, find comfortable, natural, bedding that your cat or dog(s) find more comfortable then your bed. There are some fabulous products on Etsy.com.