Posted on March 15 2022
Following this year's biggest wellness trend, it’s becoming increasingly important for our homes to be a place of inner peace. We’re all too often looking for somewhere to escape after a long day at work, even if that has been from your WFH set-up. That’s why, finding ways to wind down well, away from the chaos of the outside world starts at home. Specifically, our bedrooms make the ultimate personal pamper zone. As the place where you start and end your day, your sleeping quarters should be a refuge for self-care and satisfactory sleep. Yet, we all understand having a room that feels like a private getaway may only feel like a dream…
To help this become a reality, we spoke to three holistic experts for their tips on creating a zen bedroom for cloud-like sleep. Suzanne Roynon is the UK’s leading Interiors Therapist. With focus on designing a space that energetically supports and nurtures its occupants, Suzanne suggests ‘the bedroom is a fantastic place to begin reviewing a home. Quality sleep is vital to wellbeing and the bedroom should feel like a sanctuary from the outside world’. Inbaal Honigman, a psychic expert specialising in colour symbolism also believes in making your sleep environment as resting as possible. Together, with meditation expert Julie Smith, who offers her guide on getting to sleep once the space is set, their advice for the ultimate sleep sanctuary will transport you to a constant state of zen.
As Suzanne states ‘clutter is the enemy of good sleep, relaxation and wellbeing’. Representing all things left incomplete, there’s no way to emotionally relax when there is mess. A cluttered room usually means a jumbled mind. Therefore Suzanne urges you to ‘be ruthless about the stuff kept in the bedroom. And not just clothes. From fitness equipment and technology, to family photos and lots of books, the bedroom isn’t the place for everyday items. In fact, for anything that migrates into your private space, ask yourself ‘do you use it, need it or love it? If not, let it go or move it out’.
More so, Inbaal believes decluttering is necessary for ‘good sleep hygiene’. Anything that stimulates the brain is best kept elsewhere in the home to avoid interference with quality sleep. ‘Piles of paperwork left under or beside the bed for example is often connected with sleep deprivation’, says Suzanne. ‘Instead limit under bed storage to bedding, towels and out-of-season clothes to allow the subconscious to switch off and keep the bedside clear for the best chance of uncomplicated sleep’.
Feng Shui is about the flow of energy throughout a space, dictating furniture placement and the selection of items like mirrors or sharp angled objects. Considering a few Feng Shui principles is essential to optimising your bedroom for sleep. In particular, Suzanne emphasises ‘pair energy’ for harmony and tranquillity. ‘Using symmetry throughout the home in art, decor and furnishings inspires partnership and stability. Matching bedside tables and lamps create an equilibrium, for instance. And always make up a bed for two, even if you sleep alone’.
Suzanne states ‘a supportive headboard is Feng Shui 101. It offers protection and reassurance, making you feel safer for sleep that is deep and meaningful’. But it’s not just about how your bedroom looks, it’s also about how it feels. And a few things feel better than a freshly made bed. ‘From a spiritual perspective, clean bedding is so helpful’ states Inbaal. ‘By allowing ourselves to go to sleep on fresh sheets, we’re showing ourselves that we are secure and cared for’. Even more so, switching to 100% cotton sheets can improve sleep quality. More breathable than artificial fabrics, cotton is kind to the skin and more comfortable to sleep in.
A key rule of zen, for Inbaal and Suzanne, is to keep any techs out of the bed. Inbaal suggests ‘taking your phone into bed, with all the unanswered work emails and messages from friends can turn the bed into a mental battlefield’. Plus, the use of tech before bed disrupts our natural production of the sleep hormone melatonin stimulated by low light levels.
Choosing the right hue is important in any room of the home. But colour is especially key when looking to create a sanctuary. Inbaal explains, ‘The best colours to encourage sleep are the colour of the higher chakras. These are blue and indigos that are associated with restful sleep, deep communication and spirituality. Encourage those energies by including these colours in your bedroom palette to find yourself in the heartiest of slumbers. By comparison, the lower chakra colours of red, orange and yellow should be avoided. They are linked with passion, art and sports; best kept to creative spaces’.
Add an extra element of calm with aroma and essential oils. Inbaal further explains scents such as ‘lavender, chamomile and frankincense traditionally associated with sleep are also associated with self-love, relaxation and spirituality’. Using these smells when we are about to go to bed (especially when you’re struggling to get to and stay asleep) will encourage positive feeling for restful sleep.
After creating your zen bedroom, there’s one last step. Meditation. Research shows practising meditation improves sleep and instils a state of zen by releasing stress, calming an overactive mind and uplifting spirits. Julie recommends using a guided meditation around 15 minutes prior to your regular bed time. ‘Rather than drifting off whilst listening, this ensures you are preparing your mind and body. Once you are ready to sleep, train yourself to know the ‘mediating position’ versus the ‘sleeping position’ by shifting to your side before gently falling into a cloud-like slumber’.
*These tips were based on suggestions by Suzanne Roynon, UK’s leading Interiors Therapist, Inbaal Honigman, Psychic and expert in colour symbolism and Julie Smith, Meditation Expert specialising in burnout and sleep issues.
Read Suzanne's Platinum Award Winning book ‘Welcome Home - How Stuff Makes or Breaks your Relationship’ and visit her website www.interiorstherapy.com for further interior tips.
Follow Inbaal on Instagram @inbaalpsychic for psychic and astrology readings on how to declutter your space.
Download Julie’s guided meditation from her website to experience the full benefit: https://julie-smith.net/sleep_landing_guided-meditation/
