5 Tips To Turn Your Home Into A Stress-Free Sanctuary

Turn the blue light off so you don’t wake up feeling blue.

Scrolling endlessly through Facebook and Instagram is a bedtime habit for most. No scrolling, no sleeping. It just seemed like a ritual that has to be done before being able to fall asleep.

But on the contrary, these devices (be it handphones or tablets) are keeping us awake. Electronic devices, just like the Sun, emit blue light. Blue light emitted from the Sun signals our body that it’s time to wake up. Therefore, having blue light at night can affect our sleep cycle as it will delay the release of the hormone melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone.

Besides that, using these devices also stimulate our cognitive activity. Instead of relaxing and preparing for sleep, we get fired up playing a game or watching a video that can make us tense or stress. This produces Cortisol, a stress hormone instead of the hormone melatonin. Of course, if you absolutely have to use them for work-related stuff (ahem or just a habit you can’t kick before sleeping), use the ‘Night-Shift’ function or filter apps if your phone does not come with this function to minimize the blue light emitting from the screens. 

Come over to the dark side.

Living in an HDB flat? Then the likelihood of street lights or corridor lightings shining through your windows onto the walls of your bedroom is high.

Choose a curtain that will dim out these lights. Do note that you should try to choose curtains that allows some light to shine through instead of going for those blackout curtains.

Remember blue light signals our body to wake up? Allowing some light to shine through in the morning will signal our brain that it’s the start of a new day and it’s time to wake up! If curtains are too much of a hassle to fix, try sleeping eye mask as an alternative. If you have not tried the famous Steam Eye Mask from Japan, seriously go and try it now. Besides helping to dim out the lights from outside, it warms up your tired eyes and also gives off a pleasant scent.

Scent, not odor.

Besides getting rid of the stuffy smell in your bedroom in Singapore, scent can also help you to sleep. The scent of Lavender, for example, is well-known for encouraging sleep. Other than health benefit, apparently it can also help you with your Feng Shui at home! 

If Lavender is not for you, opt for other scents which you think calms and relaxes you. The most common way of adding scent to your bedroom is by placing an air diffuser or scented candles. (But we know they can be pretty costly and it honestly felt like money is burning along with the candles right?)

Alternatively, you can use plants! Some plants give off a pleasant floral scent. However, it might be a hassle to keep these plants as they require constant care and some of us are just hopeless when it comes to planting. Another option is to make your very own natural room spray. There is various formula for it so go find out which works best for you! For the easiest and most cost-efficient way, pour a few drops of essential oil on the light bulb. As you turn the light on, the smell will be released due to the warmth from the bulb.

Meditation zone, not a war zone.

As mentioned, your sleep environment should provide a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. With clutters around the bedroom, it’s definitely not going to provide a peace of mind when being in the bedroom.

Make it a habit to tidy your bed each morning, and spend some time separating the dirty pile of clothes from the clean pile. Or you could some bedroom furniture such as a teak bedside drawer to organize your stuffs!

Other than the physical clutter in your room, it’s also a good idea to separate activities that do not belong in the bedroom. Think of your bedroom as a space for you to unwind. Avoid bringing your work into your bedroom, or for anything else for that matter such as watching horror movies (unless you are an avid fan of horror stuff and watching it relaxes you). This acts as a space for relaxation, which will help you prepare better both mentally and physically for a good sleep. 

Nothing else mattress.

Okay, that was a bad pun, wasn’t it? Bet most of us heard about the Princess and the Pea story. Just like how the Princess is sensitive to a pea under her bed (even after twenty mattresses!) while others are not, different people like the softness or the density of their pillows and mattresses in varying degree. Find out your preferences and replace your mattress and pillows accordingly. A mattress has a huge impact on your sleep quality, therefore it is wise to invest in a high-quality one once you think it’s time to change. Besides affecting your sleep quality, it can also ease your joint or back pain. It is also recommended to change your mattress every 5-10 years. When’s the last time you change your mattress? Whether you are looking for some quality mattress or bed frames to help you have a night of better sleep, we have it. Hop over to our website and allow our friendly colleagues to help you!