10 sleep truths from the experts
Rebecca Frew
Set the snooze mood with the help of colour psychology.
Dreaming of a good night’s sleep? The right bedroom colour can make a world of difference. We all know the frustration of tossing and turning in a room that feels anything but tranquil.
Creating a restful bedroom isn’t just an aesthetic need either. Getting enough sleep is proven to play an important role in the quality of our lives. Research carried out by University College London found that getting less than five hours of sleep a night in mid-to-late life could be linked to an increased risk of developing at least two chronic diseases.
To help you unlock the power of colour for a truly restful night’s sleep, we’ve gathered insights from top interior designers and colour experts – all that’s left for you to do is choose your favourite shade.
Dreaming of a good night’s sleep? The right bedroom colour can make a world of difference. We all know the frustration of tossing and turning in a room that feels anything but tranquil.
Creating a restful bedroom isn’t just an aesthetic need either. Getting enough sleep is proven to play an important role in the quality of our lives. Research carried out by University College London found that getting less than five hours of sleep a night in mid-to-late life could be linked to an increased risk of developing at least two chronic diseases.
To help you unlock the power of colour for a truly restful night’s sleep, we’ve gathered insights from top interior designers and colour experts – all that’s left for you to do is choose your favourite shade.
Ever wonder why a room filled with sunshine makes you feel energised, or why a calming blue can lull you to sleep? That’s colour psychology in action. It’s the idea that simply surrounding yourself with certain colours can influence your mood and behaviour. Imagine swapping your morning coffee for an orange painted room – that’s the basic exposure principle. Therapists might even use coloured lights to target specific emotions.
Colour theory stretches back to the ancient Egyptians, who used pigments for everything from decoration to medicine. Today, therapists might use coloured lights to create specific moods during sessions. Marketers and designers also strategically pick colours to influence how we feel about their products or spaces.
For anyone harbouring doubts about just how powerful, and predictable, our reaction to colour is, it’s worth knowing that, according to a study by Emerald Insight, up to 90% of snap judgments made when buying products can be based on colour alone.
Paint makers and interior designers know that colour is a powerful tool. For example, a bedroom design with white walls can be a cruel joke for a migraine sufferer. Likewise, if you want to know how to decorate with red at home, avoid the bedroom – it’s likely to speed up the pulse and heart rate, the complete opposite of what you want when you are craving those 40 winks.
With that in mind, here are the top four bedroom colours for sleep…
When it comes to the best bedroom colours for sleep, blue comes out on top every time.
Blue is the king of the snooze colours because we have special cells in our eyes called ‘ganglion cells’ that perceive blue better than any other colour. When these cells encounter blue, they produce melatonin, the sleep hormone.
This fact hasn’t gone unnoticed by hotel chains. In fact, Travelodge carried out research to find out what colour room helped guests to enjoy the longest sessions of unbroken sleep. Blue topped the list, with the typical guest enjoying 7.53 straight hours of sleep when walls were coated in blue paint.
This is hardly surprising. From early childhood, we tend to express a preference for blue, perhaps because it represents the charm of a sunny day and the tranquillity of water. It is so universally soothing that it is tends to be the go-to colour in institutional settings – such as hospitals – to convey a sense of calm.
A bedroom painted in Benjamin Moore’s Blue Nova shade
But what’s the best blue hue to choose? You might think a soft, pastel blue would be the most relaxing but studies prove differently. A large study The World’s Favourite Colour Project found that most respondents cited navy blue as a relaxing shade.
Paint expert Annie Sloan agrees. “Rather than opting for light blues associated with free sky thinking, use a deep blue to encourage restful introspection,” she says.
Choosing a rich, strong blue – think jewel toned emeralds with a lot of warm green pigment in the mix, or inky navy blues – will take a lot of “noise” out of your space and give a cosy, secure feeling.
You don’t need to paint your walls blue to get the calming effect of this colour – instead, you can adding accents of blue to your bedroom with accessories. A blue rug, duvet cover or actual bed can help add in some colour without going to over the top.
Rich burgundies or saffron yellows are a fabulous foil to blue and just a few small accents on lampshades or throws, will keep the blue backdrop seductively rich.
If you are going to paint your walls blue, choose a matt paint. A gloss finish can reflect light and add to brain stimulation, so is best avoided.
Green’s colour psychology is a little complicated. Meanings for the colour can vary wildly depending on context, from envy to fertility; war-wear to the green shoots of spring.
In the USA, green is strongly associated with power and money – manmade affections that hardly bring the notion of ‘best bedroom colours’ to mind. Yet, on the other end of the scale, no other colour is more rooted in nature, and all the calming effects that can bring.
That is why, if the shade is chosen with care, your bedroom design can benefit strongly from the most potent association which green offers – the stress-reducing tranquility of peaceful outdoor spaces. In fact one study by gardening therapy charity Thrive showed that being surrounded by natural greenery and the colour green the can lower rates of anxiety and depression.
Here are the green shade meanings to think about when debating those paint samples:
Olive green: Represents tranquillity, earthiness, and elegance
Bright green: Brings to mind spring and rebirth
Dark green: Associations with greed, money and ambition but also with fertility
Yellowish green: Can prompt thoughts of sickness, envy and decay
Aqua green: Conjures feelings of freshness, water and cleanliness
Pale green: Inherently peaceful
Tom Crocker, paint specialist at Mylands – Britain’s oldest manufacturer of luxury paints – suggests taking a look at Museum No.151 for the perfect restful bedroom green.
Crocker says: “It’s a beautiful smoky green paint that exudes a peaceful and calming aura, making it a great choice for creating a restful atmosphere in your bedroom. The colour is reminiscent of the classic Victorian-era museums in London and brings a touch of elegance to any space.”
“All greens remind us of the natural world and if you’re not sure how to use them in a space, look to nature,” suggests Sloan. “What are some of your favourite outdoor spaces?”
Sloan suggests starting with plants if green makes you nervous.
“Then move onto throws and consider painting a small piece of furniture such as a bedside table,” she says. “That will be enough to build your confidence with colour, and furniture can be painted over much more easily than a wall if you really don’t like it. “
To style green, consider pairing it with natural materials such as wood and linen to create a relaxed, organic feel.
“You can also add pops of white or cream accents to brighten up the room and add a touch of freshness,” suggests Crocker. “And don’t be afraid to incorporate botanical elements such as plants or floral prints to bring the outside in and create a serene, tranquil environment.”
Once upon a time, pink walls were limited to girls’ bedrooms. Today, it is amongst one of the most popular bedroom colours for sophisticated and restful adult bedrooms – this is particularly true for dusky and pastel pinks, which are extra soothing and calm.
As well as evoking feelings of comfort and warmth, pink is also a sign of good health. And over time many institutions have painted prison walls pink believing it to be a good antidote to aggression. Recent studies however have busted this myth, proving it to have no different effect on inmates than the standard grey walls.
Pink tends to be associated with all things gentle, feminine and kind – thus its highly restful qualities. But that isn’t to say pink doesn’t have a wild side – hot pink can be a bold, ‘in your face’ colour choice.
Its impact can be highly stimulating – which is perfect for a room scheme that you want to be both calming at night and energising in the morning.
“When using pastels, you should layer a stronger version of the same colour to bring out the depth of colour in the pastel,” advises Sloan.
As with all pastels, a muted pink can become more of a challenge for eyes to pick up on from age 40 plus.
To create maximum contrast with pink, try pairing with select punches of green for a restful yet visually stimulating scheme.
Pink isn’t just for women. To balance out the more feminine qualities of pink, Dulux recommends complementing pink with accents of warm neutrals or black and some copper lighting.
For a bedroom that is silent, but not stark, colour psychology suggests you should be cosy-ing up to the neutral family. For creating a restful sleep sanctuary, they quietly earn their place amongst the best bedroom colours.
Neutral colours are very light shades of colours like beige, taupe, cream, grey and black. They have a hint of earthiness that makes them feel naturally peaceful and their subtle underlying colours can be shown up in changing lights.
Best of all, unlike stark white paint, off-white neutrals are a bit easier on the eye, but still give minimalist serenity.
With all of that washed out mellow earthiness in your bedroom, you would be forgiven for thinking that neutrals are wonderful for soothing sleep but boring for waking hours. While that can be true, neutral bedrooms with the right materials mix are highly photogenic.
The secret is to think layers, textures and a rich interplay of surfaces finishes like glass next to wood.
Emma Victoria Hancox, director at Studio EVH suggests opting for a touch of luxury. “Silk wallpaper is a luxurious and elegant option for creating spaces that exude sophistication and tranquility.
“The natural sheen of silk adds depth and texture to any room, making it a popular choice when creating a calm and beautiful space. When installed, silk wallpaper can help to transform a room, creating a warm and inviting ambiance that is both stylish and peaceful.”
Sloan advises staying away from a monotone approach to neutrals.
“When creating an all-neutral space, you simply must add flashes of accent colour,” she says.
“This will stop your home feeling characterless or like an offensively inoffensive hotel. I would build the whole scheme with lots of layers of different neutrals; all true neutral or all warm leaning or all cool leaning.”
Adding a pop of colour will not only give your bedroom some personality, but if you choose wisely, it will also make you feel happy.
“I would pick a colour that sparks joy – hot pink, wine red, grass green – and apply tiny eye-catching details,” advises Sloan. “Perhaps a Charleston-esque squiggle on a lampshade; a line on the wall, and a pattern on a piece of furniture.”
“You’ll smile when the colour catches your eye, and as you live in the space you’ll find more spaces you want to add this empowering colour pop to.”
Struggling to sleep? Try plain neutral bedding. Neutral bed linen won’t overstimulate the mind the way brightly coloured and patterned bedding options might and always looks great next to other colours that aid sleep, such as blue and green.
Lucy Scott, paint specialist at Edward Bulmer Natural Paint suggests a good way to begin is to purchase a non-toxic, breathable natural paint, which contain no harmful VOCs, for a bedroom that looks good and is better for you, too.
“Make sure you check the ingredients on the tin and ensure they do not contain acrylics or toxic chemicals that could cause health issues and breathing problems which in turn affects a good night’s sleep!,” she says.
“The beauty of our paint is because it is made with our ground-breaking plant-based binder and natural earth and mineral pigments, you can sleep in it the same day as decorating.
Rebecca Frew
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