Run, run, run as fast as you can. This is the mantra of our days, and for most of us, it doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Whether it’s jobs around the house, carpooling children from here to there or any myriad of other things, many of us don’t end our days until the wee hours of the evening.
This leaves very little time for sleep — something necessary for everyone.
Per the National Sleep Foundation, adults between the ages of 25-64 need seven to nine hours of sleep a night to function properly. Sleep is critical for health, and although we feel as if we are resting, it is the time our body is doing its most important work.
Throughout the day, we accumulate many memories which are stored in a short-term memory bank. During sleep, our minds convert those memories into a long-term memory bank, which is referred to as “consolidation.” When we lack the proper amount of sleep, the consolidation phase is compromised, which can affect our memory.
Lack of sleep affects the body medically as well. Research shows it can be a contributing factor to heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety.
These negatives certainly build the case for getting the proper amount of slumber. But did you know the color and atmosphere of your bedroom can affect sleep as well? Deborah Burnett of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says our body uses “external or environmental cues, including color and light, to synchronize our biological rhythms to the earth’s 24-hour light/dark cycle.”
Chroma and value
When designing a bedroom, it’s not surprising that blue is a top selection. Studies show it can slow human metabolism and have a calming effect. Men especially love blue and are receptive to designs where it is included.
Green can also be used in bedrooms with positive effects for sleep. Cool, clean colors in contrast to warm, dirty colors are best for bedrooms — and the key to incorporating any color in the bedroom is with chromaticity and value.
Chromaticity is the intensity of a color, while value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. When designing bedrooms, low chromaticity and low value in a color work best.
These are a few examples of colors that would well in a bedroom and be conducive to rest. The correct wall and ceiling application is another factor that can contribute to the restful feel in a space.
To learn more about color and my reference to colors as “clean” or “dirty,” email me or follow my blog, The Collected Interior, at Superior-construction-and-design.com. I’ve trained with leading experts in color, earning the certifications of True Colour Expert and Certified Color Expert — and I can’t wait to talk color with you!
