Best Natural Ways To Wake Up Feeling Refreshed

Getting into healthy sleep habits and ensuring you get the hours you need is more than putting on PJs at 9pm. If you consistently feel you don’t get great quality of rest it’s time to do a sleep audit of your habits and home.

There should be a short answer to this; sleep and romance. Anything else such as make-do office, binge-watching box sets or playing computer games are all counterproductive when it comes to getting rest.

If you have the space, ban all devices and bad habits to other areas of the home and only come to bed when you are ready to rest. If you don’t have the room and need a desk or place to hog TV, put a little bit of black tape over ‘on’ power lights and put phones on to night mode to dim the backlight screen; both of these can quietly keep the mind whirring well past lights out.

Best calming colours for the bedroom include white, cream, stone and soft green shade, whereas very dark blues, greys and blacks can feel cocooning. Avoid anything that doesn’t jar or over-stimulate: colour theory is pretty simple to work out. Vivid reds, purples and oranges are energising colours that are great for action or socialising but not so good for relaxation. When looking at paint charts consider how they make you feel and not just if you like the hue.

Of course in bed we feel the softness of the sheets and blankets on our skin but other textures are also key. Natural materials such as wood or wool can feel restful. (Add some instantly without excessive redecorating with a chair, dresser or modern vertical blinds. Sheers, woven or textured fabrics on window coverings can also nicely diffuse light and contrast against a plain flat wall. Layering blankets in slightly different shades or chunky knits over fine cotton can add interest and warmth without too much visual fuss.

The ideal sleeping temperature for a deep restful sleep that helps you wake up refreshed is between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The best temperature to sleep may be hotly debated by couples, but the body needs to cool slightly to drift off, so if the air is milder but you feel the cold you can always remove a layer of blankets.

In winter, window coverings can help lock in warmth to the room as the night time air cools. According to the British Sleep Council, babies and toddlers like it a touch warmer at 65 to 70 degrees, and make sure they have a child safe room darkening to keep them dozing for longer.

Perfect for every room, our Duette® blinds feature a special design that keeps your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer and insulated all year round. Perfect for all the family.

Light can be your best ally to help you feel rested, but only if you harness its benefits. At night too much and the brain can’t switch off, too little in the morning and it doesn’t kick-start ready for the day.

When planning your bedroom lighting, make sure you have window coverings that can block out street and summer light, but allow what little light there is come winter in the mornings to flood in. Motorised blinds like PowerView® automation can open your blinds at times you set to the natural light of the morning. In the winter you can also add a wake-up lamp that cheats the effect; a lot less aggressive than a screeching alarm clock. Programmable blinds can also be set to close your blinds if you are going to be home late, getting your space ready to wind you down.

Sleep works in cycles, and the body generally loves good habits. A small herbal tea or milk and honey before bed, low lighting and reading a book; set some routines that act as triggers to let your body know it’s time to rest. When you wake, try lemon juice hot water meditation. Alternatively, morning yoga might help you prepare for whatever challenges you have ahead that keep you awake at night. Then take on the day…

Looking for more ways to wake up refreshed in the morning? To make your bedroom a sanctuary see our range of room darkening blinds.