Poor-quality sleep has a range of flow-on effects, from tanking your work performance to encouraging snaps at significant others. Many people have a tendency to toss and turn at night, making lists in their minds of things they need to do the next day instead of drifting peacefully into the land of nod. Whatever is keeping you up, sleep issues are incredibly common and affect more than half of Australian adults. However, around 50 percent of us are actually sleeping quite well—though our styles of shut-eye differ. Among them are the borderline narcoleptics who can command themselves to fall unconscious within minutes and pre-dawn early risers who shout at the snoozing, “You’re missing the best past of the day!” More common are night owls who find inspiration in the stars and sleep-in until noon.
Whatever your personal sleep style, you may be able to optimise your mood when you lie down to rest and upon waking with certain shades. “Studies have shown that the colour of our bedroom does have a significant impact on the quality of our sleep and it’s all down to psychology,” says Abby Hesketh, paint and colour expert at Graham & Brown. “Colours influence our emotions and therefore we attribute values and meanings to them.” Read on for tips on how you can fall sleep and wake up better with colour.
Blue to calm the mind
Cool, dark and quiet. That’s the trifecta of an optimal sleeping environment and blue can help you get there. “For the restless sleeper, the best colours to help you wind down and relax tend to be on the cold spectrum,” says Hesketh. "These colours are associated with nature, calmness and healing which are all beneficial to a good night’s rest.”
Wake up early with orange
If you’re blessed with a bounce-out-of-bed disposition, harness and heighten it with bright citrus shades. “Warm sunny colours, such as soft yellow and zesty orange, can make a room cosy while radiating positive energy,” says Lucy Ackroyd, Head of Design at Christy. “These bright sunny colours will match the individual’s sleeping style and enhance their vibrant morning motivation.”
Serene beige for night owls
"As night owls prefer a lie-in and are more productive towards the evenings, they need a colour palette that promotes freshness and serenity throughout the whole day to ease their waking hours and help them wind down at night,” says Ackroyd. She suggests a bedroom colour palette featuring beige, ecru and light pastel tones, like soft pink. “These colours have soothing and comforting connotations for those staying up late while the world around them sleeps.”
Tranquil grey for deep sleepers
Very deep sleepers can have trouble waking up and need to be eased into the day. “Their bedroom colour scheme should reflect a tranquil but stimulating environment,” says Ackroyd. “This will help them switch their body’s functions from total relaxation into a gentle wake-up routine.”
Written by Bec Whish.
This article originally appeared on Vogue Living Australia.