It’s no surprise that the start of a new year has people focusing on what they want to improve during the next 12 months. While health and fitness usually draw a large crowd of good intentioned people, the main focus for 2019 seems to be planted on decluttering and organizing your home. We can absolutely get behind this latest trend to get your home in the best shape of its life, as we know it can specifically help you sleep better at night.
We’ve talked a lot about sleep environment and how much it can help you easily fall asleep, as well as improve the quality and quantity of sleep you get, but removing clutter from your bedroom will do more than give you an inviting space to sleep. Tackling the piles of stuff in your room will also help you feel less stressed and anxious – two feelings that can have a very direct result on how well you sleep at night.
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Declutter These 6 Things For Better Sleep At Night
It’s really easy for your bedroom space to get muddled with clothes, books and just about anything else that doesn’t seem to have a specific place in the house. We’ll happily leave organizing your closet and sock drawer to Marie Kondo, but we can share what six things should be declutter or removed from your bedroom in order to create a calm and comfortable sleeping space.
1 – Bills and other paperwork.
It’s pretty easy to understand why bills won’t add to your sense of calm! Since you want your bedroom to be a peaceful space where you can fall asleep easily, keep any papers related to work or life in another room.
2 – Technology.
The bedroom should be a screen-free zone. Not only do screens emit a blue light that can delay the release of sleep-inducing melatonin and increase alertness, but they also have a knack for making people go to bed later than they should. Late night Instagram scrolling or Netflix binging sound familiar?
Get yourself a traditional alarm clock that can function as your alarm. As for the rest of your technology, it should be housed in a docking station outside of your bedroom.
3 – Your bedside table.
One little nightstand can hold a lot of stuff! Before you know it your bedside table is covered with empty glasses, jewellery, books, hairbands, and hand lotion. Try and clear away anything you don’t use on a daily basis and take the time to put things away that don’t need to be immediately accessible at night.
MORE: A Better Sleep Environment Using The Five Senses
4 – Under the bed.
Many people will sleep a lot better if they know there isn’t a disorganized mess under the bed. When’s the last time you went through items stuffed under your bed? Do you actually know for certain what’s even under there?
Ideally, you should only store items under the bed that fall into one simple category and can be easily organized, such as your seasonal clothing or wrapping paper and accessories.
5 – Piles of clothes.
Clothes hanging over the bed, on a chair, or in a pile in the corner will make you feel uneasy every time you walk into your bedroom. Put clean clothes away right away and put dirty ones in the laundry bin instead of on the floor. Not enough space in your closet? Then it’s time to do a deeper declutter and decide what can be donated or thrown away.
6 – Books.
The one or two books that you’re actively reading are the only books that should be on your bedside table. Otherwise, that stack of books just becomes another to-do list that stares at you each night and makes you wonder when you’ll ever have the time to read them all! Pass on the books you’ve already read, and for those few you don’t want to part with, they are better stored out of your bedroom. Piles of books gather dust very easily, which will only stagnate the air around your bed.
Better Sleep Will Support All Of Your Resolutions
Even if your plans this year aren’t focused on whipping your house into shape, know that prioritizing your sleep will help achieve any fitness or personal goals you’ve set for yourself. It really is worth taking a hard look at your sleep environment and making sure it’s set up to support restorative sleep. Consider it another step towards making this year your best one yet.
