10 Tips to Keep Your Bedroom in Optimal Condition

We spend approximately a third of our lives in our bedrooms, some even more than this so it’s not surprising that the state of this most precious space has a significant impact on your life. Your bedroom should be healthy, green as in environmentally so, and psychologically beneficial to your life. So we’ve put together a few pointers on how to really achieve a healthy bedroom. 1. Check for mould. Any dampness on the walls, windows or floors can lead to mould, even slight growth of different fungi that can trigger allergies such as wheezing, sneezing, eye complaints etc. Clean up any mould areas using a powerful cleaner such as bleach and ensure that the cause of dampness is removed. You may need to invest in a dehumidifier. 2. Get rid of dust mites. Mostly every bedroom has dust mites if you haven’t taken precautions to keep them out. Dust mites excrete a protein in their faeces that can trigger allergies such as sneezing and a runny nose, so it’s not very nice. In addition to this, the starling truth is that over a period of ten years your mattress will double in weight due to dust mite faeces, so you are literally just sleeping in bug poo! The ideal solution is to use hypoallergenic encasements on your mattresses. Natural solutions such as an organic wool mattress under sheet and over sheet are a good choice. Alternatively, you can use an organic cotton one that can be washed weekly on a 60 degrees wash. Wool naturally keeps dust mites out due to its high lanolin content, you can then air the wool in the sun to clean naturally, and washing cotton at 60 degrees kills dust mites also. Wash sheets weekly at 60 degrees and keep humidity low in rooms even through the winter. Use a HEPA filter hoover and clean with microfiber cloths that trap dust instead of launching it into the air. Keep humidity low in your bed, by folding the covers back every morning and leaving your bed to air. 3. Get Rid Of Light At Night. According to Samuel L. Krachman, D.O., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. "Light interferes with the production of Melatonin, (a hormone that controls your sleep wake cycle and is secreted at night in response to darkness), therefore making it harder to fall into a deep, restful sleep." Two new studies suggest that exposure to light at night could affect not only your snooze quality but also your blood pressure, glucose levels, ability to regulate body temperature -- even cancer risk. 4. Reduce Sleep Disruptions. It’s not always possible to do this if you have to frequently get up to go to the loo, see to young children or have a snoring partner! Help snoring partners by encouraging them to get a special mouth guard from the dentist, this keeps their jaw aligned as they sleep thereby reducing snoring. Keep toilet visits brief and quick, try not to turn on lights but use night lights in the bathroom to keep you still in a restful state. 5. De Clutter. Things that don’t belong in the bedroom are things like cell phones and laptops. The rest of it is personal and certain things will trigger stress responses in you. I can deal with a little mess, but not a lot, my husband can’t deal with anything that’s not neatly folded or stacked nicely! 6. Get Rid Of Toxic Bedding. Memory Foam pillows and mattresses are the worst offender as they are made of a petroleum-based synthetic foam which can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause headaches, nausea, eye and throat irritation and may even contribute to asthma. A better choice would be natural latex pillows and mattresses made from rubber trees also sometimes known as organic mattresses 7. Cut Your Exposure to EMF’s. Or otherwise known as Electromagnetic Fields! Avoid metal in your bed or mattress and move TV’s cordless phone bases, mobile phones, electric alarm clocks etc. out of your room. Some studies have linked EMF exposure to cancer. 8. Change the mood of your bedroom. If you’re a couple, then loose family pictures from the bedside table and replace with pictures of you as a couple. Switch cosy night clothes for sexier ones, and ensure you have locks on the door if you have kids. Dimmable lights and Soy candles which are VOC free in a safe place are all good ideas to re-light the passion! 9. Shoes Belong Outside. Don’t bring shoes in your bedroom; leave them in the porch as they carry germs and bacteria. 10. Loose The Decorative Pillows. Decorative pillows and soft toys can harbour dust mites, so go for a simple look instead. Otherwise air and wash them regularly at high temperatures. (Original article featured in the huffington post)