10 Ways to Make a Bedroom Better for Sleeping

Our bedrooms should be calm, peaceful escapes from the bustle and pressure of the everyday world. All too often, though, the stresses of the day find their way into the very places where we are meant to be the most relaxed. Such intrusions contribute to insomnia, which can lead to major health difficulties. A few easy changes can remove distractions from your bedroom and help sleep come easier.

Combat late-night problems by making your bedroom a safe, peaceful place to relax and sleep. Start with these 10 simple ideas:

1. Get the television out. Move the television from your bedroom and place it in an entertainment center in the family room or living room. Watching TV in bed inhibits good sleep.

2. Move the computer. Likewise, move the computer into a home office, or at least into its own nook in the room or den. Remove the stress and worry of your work from the place where your focus should be relaxing and sleeping.

3. Choose the right colors. Color theory dictates that different shades have different effects on people. Cool colors, those from the left side of the color wheel, are thought to provide a sense of calm. Choose one of these for the bedroom, and avoid bright, loud colors that are more exciting than soothing.

4. Eliminate excess noise. Make sure that rooms adjacent to the bedroom are not home to stereos, televisions or other noisy electronics. Most modern homes don't have completely soundproofed walls, and the bleed-through noise can keep you awake.

5. Keep out the light. Select light-blocking window treatments . Even though the sun isn't out, plenty of light can sneak into the bedroom from outside, disrupting your sleep patterns. Keeping the room as dark as possible is especially important for people whose work schedules require them to sleep during the day.

6. Add a little light. If you need a little light to sleep comfortably, consider adding a couple of nightlights or a dimmer switch rather than sleeping with a lamp on all the time.

7. Check your pipes. Loud pipes might be waking everyone in the house when one person makes a bathroom visit in the middle of the night. Look for the cause of any clanging and banging, particularly in a bathroom that is adjacent to a bedroom.

8. Seal the doors and windows. Make sure doors and windows are solid and secure, with no drafts or rattles.

9. Clean the air. Use an air purifier or humidifier to keep air quality at its best. Allergens and excessively dry air can interrupt sleep and make waking up unpleasant, too. As a bonus, many machines create a white noise that drowns out other, distracting sounds.

10. Get organized. Organize closets and keep clothing and other personal items in their places. A chaotic, messy room is stressful to the mind. Don't try to fall asleep with your eyes darting around the room, spotting shoes and clothes scattered all over the floor. Sleep well, knowing that everything is in its place.