5 Common Bedroom Design Dilemmas That Could Be Costing You Sleep

If you spend every night tossing and turning, it may be because there are negative environmental factors you’re so used to ignoring, you no longer even notice them. Whether the culprit’s a duvet insert that inevitably shifts to the bottom of the bed or a pesky streetlight shining outside your bedroom window, there are simple design solutions to solve these common problems—and help you catch just a few more Zzzs.

The Problem: Too many night shifts. As in, your duvet insert is always shifting around inside the cover.

Our Solution: This is actually an incredibly easy problem to fix, yet many people put off doing anything about it (or don’t even know it can be solved!). All it takes is a trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond to pick up some life-saving (well, at least sleep-saving) Comforter Clips ($6 for 4), which attach your comforter to the corners of the duvet cover. For a DIY solution, Martha Stewart recommends sewing two pieces of fabric tape to the inner corners of your duvet, then tying the tape around the corners of the comforter. Presto—your comforter will have you covered all night.

The Problem: Night sweats. You wake up overheated or freezing in the middle of the night.

Our Solution: Layer your bedding. Just like when getting dressed in the fall, make sure your bed is prepared for fluctuations in temperature by adding layers you can quickly pull up or throw off during the night. Start with a flat sheet, then add a duvet, top with a quilt and add an extra blanket at the end of the bed. The idea is to have options just in case you need them. Also, if you can control the thermostat in your bedroom, resetting it during the hours you’re typically asleep could help you wake up less often.

The Problem: You’re actually a vampire; aka light keeps waking you up and you can’t fall back to sleep.

Our Solution: Whether you’re a night owl who goes to bed with the dawn or you happen to have a streetlight inconveniently located right outside your window, the fix-all is blackout curtains. Check out our favorite sources for blackout curtains, or if you already own curtains you adore, simply invest in a light-blocking liner to hide behind them. Because these window treatments aren’t known for being the most attractive options on the market, you may decide to DIY your own using a combo of decorative and blackout fabrics. Whether you buy or DIY, your bedroom is guaranteed to never again see the light of day (mwah-ha-ha).

The Problem: You can’t find your bed under the pillow pile and mountain of clothes.

Our Solution: Make space for sleep. While many of us admit to piling on the throw pillows (don’t miss our hard-hitting investigation into how many is too many), it’s important to remove them from your bed before hitting the proverbial hay. An abundance of soft pillows sounds like it should make your bed extra cozy, but in reality, it only limits your space to sprawl out. The same goes for that pile of clothing at the end of your bed (you know, the stuff you KonMari’d weeks ago but still haven’t donated). This clutter not only takes up physical space, but it can also take up mental space if it’s making you feel stressed. Spend a couple daylight hours tackling the pile and you’ll sleep easier all week.

The Problem: Your bedroom turned into the Sahara overnight and you wake up with dry eyes and a scratchy throat.

Our Solution: It’s time to buy a humidifier. Luckily, there are options out there that won’t take up a ton of space and that are attractive enough to leave on display full-time. Choose from our 10 favorites, including portable ones you can perch on your bedside table, or learn how to make your own humidifier using things you definitely already own. The added moisture will help you sleep more soundly, and you’ll wake up looking fresh-faced.

Re-edited from a post originally published 2.2.17