Want a Good Night's Sleep? Incorporate These Colors Into Your Bedroom

Bring a sense of calm to your sleep sanctuary with soothing blues and greens that encourage relaxation and deeper rest. Here’s how.

The bedroom is a place of respite, a haven of peace and relaxation where your mind and body can ease into restful sleep. But decorate with the wrong hues, and that tranquil vibe can turn into a sensory stimulator that makes it hard to drift off.

That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to the colors you incorporate into the bedroom.

How Color Can Impact Sleep

It’s no secret that color can influence mood and emotions. Research shows that bright red, orange, and yellow are associated with excitement, energy, and anger – feelings that can make it difficult to settle down when it’s time for bed. Blue and green, on the other hand, are related to calm, peace, and nature, which can lower stress levels, heart rate, and blood pressure, putting you in the ideal state for restorative rest.

In fact, according to one survey, people who slept in bedrooms with a blue color scheme regularly got the best night’s sleep, clocking, on average, seven hours and fifty-two minutes per night, while those who integrated green enjoyed seven hours and thirty-six minutes of shuteye each evening.

avocado percale organic cotton cover bedding

Photo courtesy of Avocado.

“It’s not surprising that blue came out top in the study of the best colours to promote sleep, as the colour blue is very restful to the eye,” Color Therapy & Holistic Interior Design consultant, Suzy Chiazzari, said of the study. “Psychologically, we relate blue to calm waters and the blue sky, both of which we find very soothing. Like blue, certain shades of yellow and green are relaxing colours too, which are known to reduce stress, which aid a good night’s sleep too.”

How to Add Touches of Blue and Green Into Your Bedroom

You don’t need to color drench your room in powder blue or sage green to reap the benefits these hues can have on sleep. A few notes here and there will do the trick.

Here are a few easy ways to weave soothing blues and greens into your bedroom for a better night’s slumber.

Add an accent wall. Instead of spending an entire day (or two) painting your whole room, opt for an accent wall behind your bed. If you’re feeling creative, skip the solid coat and paint a mural of wispy clouds. Or, use varying shades of green for a plant-inspired landscape. For those lacking artistic flair, peel-and-stick wallpaper is a also great option.

Switch up your pillowcase or shams. Simply swapping out your pillowcase or shams can create an instantly calmer aesthetic. Avocado’s lightweight and airy Organic Cotton Percale Pillowcases and Shams in a tight-knit 270 thread count come in a tranquil sage, perfect for a peaceful bedroom palette. Want to add a little elegance? Slip your pillows into our serene navy blue Silk Pillowcase made with luxurious and renewable Momme Mulberry silk.

Hang up calming curtains. Infuse your room with a touch of tranquility with curtains in a gentle blue or green shade. Go with a sheer option for a whimsical ambiance (pair them with blinds to keep light out while you sleep) or make things moodier with thick blackout curtains.

Photo courtesy of Avocado.

Layer in a linen duvet cover. Refresh your bedding with Avocado’s Natural Linen Duvet Cover in comforting indigo or cozy olive. Loomed entirely from renewable flax fibers in France, linen is weightier and more durable than cotton but just as breathable. Even better, the textured material gets softer with every wash, while natural Corozo nut buttons add to its timeless appeal.

Incorporate unique furniture. Side tables, an end-of-the-bed bench, or an oversized chair in calming blue or muted green is a great way to add personality without throwing things out of balance. The key is not going overboard. If you opt for a more colorful lounge chair or side tables, pair them with an upholstered bench in a cream or taupe hue.

Invest in a weighted blanket. Style your bedding with a hand-knit weighted blanket in navy that’ll not only help you sleep deeper, it’ll calm your mind and body so you’re ready for rejuvenating slumber. This eco-friendly blanket meets OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and GRS-certified recycled standards, distributes weight without any filler, and is available in 12 lb, 15 lb, or 20 lb.

Make a rug the focus. Set the mood and tie everything together with a large area rug in a calming blue or green shade. A nice rug will look great anywhere, but for the bedroom, the ideal spot is under your bedframe so that about 18-20 inches is visible on the sides and foot.

Photo courtesy of Avocado.

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Meredith is a freelance writer specializing in wellness, sustainability, and the outdoors. When she's not writing or brainstorming new content, you can find her barefoot in her backyard, cooking up a new recipe, and spending time with her husband, her beagle, and her cat.