How to Make Your Bedroom the Ultimate Post-Adventure Retreat

You’ve got your nutrition dialed in, your training routine nailed down, and miles under your belt. The final piece of the puzzle, then, is sleep. Study upon study has concluded its central role in your athletic performance and overall health. If you’re going to spend a day out on the trails, you’ve got to make sure your recovery strategies are dialed.

To optimize your sleep, it’s all about creating the best bedroom environment. From the right room temperature to luxurious sheets and bedding, comfy pajamas, and everything in between, your bedroom should be the place that sets you up for sleep success each and every night.

“Sleep is essential for your energy, brain function, productivity, and just about every measure of health and well-being,” says Jamie Gold, author of Wellness by Design. “That’s why our bedrooms should be set up in a way that optimizes sleep. Everything else is secondary.” 

To accomplish that, follow these five essential tips for turning your bedroom into the ultimate post-adventure retreat.

Keep It Dark and Quiet

Live close to streetlamps? Don’t let their glare into your bedroom. Invest in some darkening shades to turn your room into a space that signals sleep. The same goes for blue lights and/or alarms in your room—hide them away so they can’t disturb you. To keep things quiet in your bedroom, get creative. “Replace a hollow core door with a solid version, put a full bookcase against a shared wall, or move the bed to a quieter wall,” suggests Gold.

Establish Good Air Quality

When you’re relaxing into sleep, the last thing you need to worry about is the air you’re breathing, says Gold. “Indoor air quality means keeping your bedroom’s air healthy and safe to breathe while you relax and sleep,” she says. “Air cleaners or purifiers without ozone can be helpful, especially for those with seasonal or pet allergies. Some plants can also improve indoor air quality.” So, too, can the right mattress, one made without harmful chemicals or toxins. Avocado’s line of mattresses are screened against 6,500 known and suspected harmful chemicals, achieving the MADE SAFE certification. 

Get Cozy and Comfy

Your bedding and even your pajamas matter, too. You can’t do much better than slipping into 1,000-thread count, organic cotton sheets with a sateen finish, for instance. Top them with an organic duvet cover—we love Avocado’s Organic Cotton Duvet—and you’re setting up a luxurious bed that beckons. If you’ve got the comfy pajamas to match (yes, Avocado also makes PJs!), so much the better. From ultra-soft modal PJs to organic cotton tees, finding the perfect sleepwear can make a big difference in your night-time experience. “It’s important to be comfortable to ensure that we are able to fall asleep,” says Dr. Kristen Casey, Psy.D, “When we’re uncomfortable, we may wake up more often or find it difficult to fall asleep.”

Stay Cool

Just as your bedding, mattress, and pajamas matter, so too does the temperature in your bedroom. You want it cool but not cold. “Our core body temperature drops when we sleep,” says Casey. Keeping your bedroom cool helps your body adjust to the ideal sleeping temperature, which is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Sleep Foundation. “Turn your thermostat to the desired temperature at bedtime or use a thermostat that runs on a schedule,” says Casey.

Minimize Stress

This might be the toughest tip to nail, but it’s essential. Address tough topics earlier in the day; leave your work at work; and set up a wind-down routine that relaxes you. This might include a good book, meditation, some candles, or quiet music—whatever signals bedtime to your body will go a long way. 

To Gold’s way of thinking, a good night’s sleep is more important than ever. “I think the pandemic has made us all more aware of the vital relationship between our homes and our health,” she says. “Sleep is more important than ever to our activities and well-being because of the extra stress in our lives. This applies whether we’re enjoying nature outdoors in a sleeping bag or enjoying the nature view outside our bedroom windows when we wake up from a restful night.”

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