5 Tips for Designing Your Ideal Sleep Sanctuary

[Valerie_C]

Your environment plays a significant role in the quality of your sleep. Surrounding yourself with a relaxing atmosphere will allow you to drift off to dreamland in no time. Check out Dr. Cacho’s top tips on how to create your ideal sleep space:  

1. Leverage light and darkness   

Light exposure at night can throw your circadian clock off its normal rhythm. It can also delay the release of melatonin which may keep you from falling asleep. Use blackout curtains or window shutters to create a darker environment. In the morning, open your curtains and allow the light to shine through to help wake you up. Light is a strong alerting signal to our brain to keep us awake. Going for a 10–30 minute walk first thing in the morning also does wonders for your energy and may also help you sleep better the following night. 

2. Declutter and organize 

Create a space for each of your necessary items (phone, laptop, etc) so when it's time for bed, you have a routine to put them away. Putting your electronics to bed by turning them completely off, in airplane mode, or on do not disturb can be a signal for your brain to start winding down. Also keep a clear open space around your bed and remove any unnecessary objects or clutter. A clear sleeping space promotes a clear headspace. 

3. Create an optimal sensory experience 

Have you noticed how a pleasant smell from a candle or diffuser can make you feel calm and relaxed? Aromatherapy is a great tool backed by science to help you fall asleep and stay asleep at night. My go to scent is lavender. The essential oils of chamomile, jasmine, and cedarwood are other plants that have sleep-inducing effects.  

4. Define your sleep color palette  

What colors are visually soothing? Surround yourself with colors that evoke joy, peace, and serenity. When you sleep at night, the energy of the room matters. Your pillows, bed sheets, blankets, furniture, the art on your walls, and even your lighting can be customized to your favorite color palette. Right now I’m loving having green leafy plants on my nightstand.  

5. Give your body the support it needs 

Is it time to upgrade your mattress or pillow?  Many mattress companies now provide a free trial for 30-360 days to use their product. Take advantage of this! Your mattress should be firm enough to support your body but not too firm that it leaves you feeling sore the next day. Find a pillow that’s gentle and cradles your head. If you are a side sleeper, you may need to find a special pillow that provides enough cushion to support your neck.  

How do you feel in your current bedroom? Is it time for a reset and upgrade? A simple way to start is by following one tip a week. After five weeks, you’ll have designed a space that brings you joy, peace, and relaxation. Have fun creating your ideal sleep sanctuary!  

Tell us in the comments, what aspects of your bedroom or night time routine help you feel good when going to sleep?

• Let us know in the comments section below by Saturday, May 22, 2022 for a chance to win an Athleta Shop Card.*   

---

*AthletaWell, non-Gap Inc. employee, members who comment on this post  between 11:59pm PST Monday May 16 - 11:59pm PST Saturday May 22, 2022 will qualify to win the Athleta Shop Card. The winner will be selected at random based comments on this post and will be notified by direct message  from the AthletaWell Team in  the AthletaWell platform.  All comments and conversations must adhere to AthletaWell’s community guidelines HERE.   

[Vanessa]

I swear by showering before bed. It makes me feel so nice and cozy I absolutely love it! I also need a cool room and some thick blankets (and this is for all seasons!)

[Pierre2018]

Pillow mist, a fluffy comforter, lavender essential oil & a fresh open window

[angelgirl627]

I use a pillow mist, open window- even in the winter. I also use my essential oil diffuser with a peaceful blend. I also enjoy calm meditative sound baths.

[K_Coffey]

Turning on my white noise machine to help me disconnect from the day

[bachkovam]

Dim lighting and no technology!

[gss]

A humidifier in the winter has been a game-changer for me!!

[JessNguyen]

If I need to quite my mind before bed, it helps me fall asleep to listen to a guided meditation for relaxation. 

[ohlovejoy]

I wear a sleep mask and ear plugs to feel cozy, even if I'm in a dark room and home alone. I also love a warm shower before bed.

[icylass]

There’s nothing like clean, soft sheets to send me off to dreamland.

[angelgirl627]

I use lots of cozy pillows. an essential oil diffuser with a lavender based sleep blend. I love freshly laundered sheets and an open window to lull me to sleep

[LunaLove]

Having an air purifier, cozy blankets and a dark room help my sleep tremendously. 

[ReneeZ]

Recently adopting a cat has made it difficult to keep plants in my bedroom and diffuse essential oils. I’ve opted for no tv in the bedroom, pastel-colored bedding, and (when I can) taking a relaxing lavender bubble bath before bed to wind down. 

[JDW]

I am so happy that Aromatherapy was mentioned!  I love jasmine/ginger aromatherapy!!  I use essential oils in my medical practice as a healing modality and sleep can heal!!!

[Fuchigirl]

Stretching and turning on my diffuser.

[beckyrn]

I must have a warm shower, soft sheets, dim light but not pitch black and for aromatherapy, I too like a soft  fragrance and spa like body cream. I want to  thank you for a video with closed captioning.  Many videos I'm noticing dont have it which is very disappointing.

[Bleucherie]

I like to make sure my body is aligned so I can't go without my leg pillow and I have a contour neck pillow. When I am away from home I try to recreate it by using any extra pillows on hand and if I don't have anything I can feel the difference when I wake up.

[SuzanneH]

I love a decluttered bedroom, an open window, and lots of cozy pillows and fresh, clean sheets.

[mcb414]

i use essential oils by my bed to help me sleep

[EmilyEllen]

My mattress for sure!  My husband and I finally invested big on sleep comfort and the right mattress makes all the difference!

[Clbennett22]

I like to turn my phone off and my side lamp on. Reading for 10-20 minutes before going to sleep helps me forget the worries of the day and reset for a good night’s sleep.

[mwestend]

Making my bed each morning and making the area clean and tidy makes the bedtime experience more inviting and comfortable every night.

[atillseg]

Trying to get off my phone and reading until I fall asleep is a good night routine for me.

[Birding_babe]

Fortunately I don’t struggle to fall asleep, but I was waking up sweaty in the middle of the night a lot. I finally realized that my electric blanket that I love so much in the winter was too warm for sleeping. Now I only use it to pre-warm the bed and then I turn it off after an hour. I also love the ritual of putting on cozy pajamas every night.

[jesscuts]

Herbal tea while winding down, then heading to my room to read a chapter (or a few!) of a book, white noise, and a black silk eye mask. If I skip any of these I am so thrown off

[NSWE210A]

Listening to some acoustic music and the white noise of the city life in the background 

[Dani_P]

this is so helpful! i just got a new mattress and have noticed such a huge difference in my sleep. thanks, @Valerie_C !

[ejmartin]

I must follow a nightly routine otherwise my sleep will suffer. A shower to rinse off the day, freshly laundered bedding, a silk pillow case, a good book, and a little night-time sleep yoga help me sleep soundly! 

[Judychuang]

Eye mask + neck massage + sandlewood oil helps with my sleep routine. 

[awwa]

Moon Salutation yoga routine - same as classic Sun Salutations, but at night!