Sleep is the best meditation.

— Dalai Lama.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so do stay tuned for more by subscribing below to get notified when I post new updates…

I thought it would be great to start with the bedroom, considering we spend at least eight hours in this space every day. So why is it important to get the space right when the majority of the hours we spend in our bedrooms we are asleep or are we?? We need to get it right to aid us getting a good night’s rest. In the UK alone in 2019 approximately 22% of people had difficulties in getting to sleep every night and a further 15% of people found it hard to fall asleep a few times a week. Even though these figures may not seem extremely high, we can probably all say that a lot of people have had at least one night where they have found it hard to get to sleep. I know I certainly have experienced this a few times in my lifetime. So let’s look at the different ways our environment can assist us getting a good night’s sleep.

Colour Palette

The bedroom palette should reflect a calm serene haven, away from the stresses of daily life. This is why a lot of bedrooms tend to have a neutral colour palette. Tones of white and calming greys are modern day favourites. Peaceful muted colours can be added in the form of cushions, rugs, curtains, bed linen and throws when you need that bit of colour in your life!

Little Greene paints are amongst the population’s favourite for their collection of greys with Flint, French Grey, Inox and Shallows being very sought after shades for the bedroom. I love Paint and Paper Library and have used Salt in one of my children’s bedroom. It is a warm grey, and when teamed up with white walls it works as a great contrast.

Quiet please

The bedroom work best when the space is quiet as possible, so having carpet or a rug is great for sound reduction and not only that, it brings an emotional feeling of warmth and comfort, just exactly what we need to assist us into that bedding down feeling. A lot of people over the last few decades now have steered away from carpet in the home and do tend to have wooden flooring throughout their home. If carpets or rugs are not your ideal, think about choosing a natural hard wood flooring that will feel relatively warm under the feet after all it is the last thing we feel on our skin before we climb into bed.

Bedding down

My favourite go to bed linen companies are “The White Company” and “Dusk”. Getting between the sheets should be a daily delight! Good bed linen can make all the difference to getting a good night’s sleep. Bed linen that is more natural is best as we do perspire during sleep (be it a lot or a little we do). Linen and cotton absorb moisture and are better than the synthetic choices. Linen doesn’t retain the moisture it absorbs like cotton and keeps the body cooler in the summer months. My preference is cotton to be honest, I think it’s because it’s what I am used to. Last year I indulged in buying 400 thread count 100% Egyptian cotton bedding from The White Company. Their Savoy range is like 5 star luxury and it feels so smooth and soft against my skin. I felt the difference on the first night in the bedding I slept so well.

Mattresses are usually chosen on our individual personal comfort. The best all round mattresses are those that are firm and keep your spine in good shape and made of natural materials. And So To Bed in Richmond London are a great bedroom furniture provider and their service and customer care is great. They offer a good selection of quality mattresses including the notorious luxury brand Vispring.

Scent to rest and restore

About five years ago I discovered the well being aromatherapy brand Neom and I have been hooked ever since. I mean once you try their products it’s very hard to stop using them. They have an array of scented candles, body and skin care products, all using specially blended oils from ylang ylang (my favourite), jasmine, mimosa, neroli and the list goes on. So the reason why I am recommending Neom is because they do a fabulous “Scent to Sleep” range. And they do exactly what it says on the packaging – send you to sleep. I use the bath foam, scented candle and perfect night pillow mist. Using their candle in the bedroom fills the room with it’s warm relaxing scent makes you associate the space for sleep even more. It’s like wrapping yourself up in a little piece of heaven, preparing your body and mind for sleep! I always settle into sleep really quickly, it almost kind of knocks me out and I always wake up in the morning feeling great…well worth a try if you do find it hard to get to sleep. A plus bonus is I love their packaging, it is just simple just how I like most things!

Whilst I am on the subject of aromatherapy oils I have to metion that as well as using Neom candles and room mists, I also use specially blended oils mixed up for my needs by my aromatherapist Nikki Essential. Using the blended oils in my bath or on my pulse points before bed help me settle into that deep sleep quicker. I highly recommend the aromatherapy services of Nikki Essential. I cant wait for the lock down to be over because one of the first things I am going to do is book an aromatherapy massage!!

And finally plant life.

It has been said that we shouldn’t keep plants in the bedroom, I totally disagree as plants refresh the air. A few of the best plants to have in the bedroom for this are Orchids, Aloe and the Peace Lily. They have the ability to remove toxin particles such as formaldehyde, ammonia and xylene. Clearer air to breathe whilst we sleep and the added bonus of more oxygen in the air why shouldn’t plants be welcomed in our bedrooms. A lovely all rounder is the Jasmine plant. This plant gives off a sweet gorgeous scent which is used as an aromatherapy oil to aid relaxation. Studies have shown it has been linked to reduce anxiety levels and improve sleep quality. I only recently discovered Waitrose does a lovely selection of indoor plants online for the home. They sell the Peace Lily for a really good price with the pot and this plant is very low maintenance too so a good starting place when shopping for your house plants.

It certainly gives you something to consider when redecorating your bedrooms in your homes. Imagine sleeping in a multi coloured busy design, would you be able to settle easily? Or do you find more harmony in the clam simple palettes? Let me know what you find works best for you in your bedroom for you to get a good night’s sleep.

Until the next episode be well and sleep well my friends…xx