6 Tips to Design a Child-Safe Sleep Friendly Bedroom
Now more than ever, everyone needs a safe haven. This is especially true for children. In a world full of anxiety, your child’s bedroom should be an oasis of calm and safety. There are several factors to consider when designing their room that will lead to a sense of calmness. Their moods, ability to relax, and sleep well are affected by the rooms color, lighting, temperature, window treatment, décor and organization. Following are 6 tips to help you transform your child’s room into a safe and sleep-friendly environment.
Calming colors encourage relaxation
Psychologists and researchers have known for years that color impacts how we feel emotionally and physically. So, the importance of color selection for your child’s room is very important. While their favorite color may be red, can we really expect them to relax and sleep well in a room dominated by a bright stimulating color like red?! Wouldn’t it be better to choose a color that soothes, heals and relaxes? Soft blues, greens, lavender, pale pink and neutrals like cream are good choices for wall color. Research shows blue to be a calming color and one that minimizes anxiety and creates a sense of well-being. Green, a symbol of nature, is calm and serene. It too reduces anxiety and soothes the body and mind. The color lavender is peaceful and relieves tension while pale pink also creates a calm atmosphere. And walls in a creamy white are warm, cozy and peaceful. You may be thinking will this make my child’s room too dull or not reflect their personality? No need to worry, there are plenty of ways to add a little pop of a bright red, yellow or orange to the space. Just limit it to accent pillows or accessories so you won’t overstimulate. Remember the goal here is to create a calm and safe environment where they can relax and sleep well. There is plenty of room for stimulating bright colors in play and activity areas throughout the house. Plus, when your children sleep well so do you!
Lighting control for better sleep
Lighting has a huge impact on your child’s mood and their ability to fall asleep. As the National Sleep Foundation states, “Bright lights before bedtime trick the internal clock and make it harder for kids to fall asleep.” Therefore, they recommend dimming overhead lights in the living room and bedroom an hour before bedtime as part of the calming down routine. With the Budget Blinds Smart Home Collection, we make it easy to create a calming ambiance. Your local Budget Blinds can install dimmers and blackout shades, then set them so you control both with your Alexa or Google Home device. Imagine being able to use an app on your phone or simply say “Turn on Sweet Dreams” to dim the lights, lower the motorized blackout shade and even turn on a lullaby with an added Sonos speaker. All creating the perfect environment to encourage your child to drift off into the land of sweet dreams!
Cordless or motorized shades for child safety
One of the most important items for creating a safe environment is installing child-safe window treatments. In fact, window coverings with cords are one of the Top 5 hazards in your home! In addition, if you have window treatments that were installed before 2000, they may not be child-safe due to dangling cords and exposed cords on the back of the shades. If this is the case, the first recommendation by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is to buy new window coverings. The good news is there are a lot of affordable products and options available without cords. In fact, you will appreciate knowing that Budget Blinds offers window coverings that are Certified Best for Kids. These child safe window treatments meet or exceed the rigorous industry standards put in place by the Window Covering Safety Council. If you are thinking you have to sacrifice style for safety, there is no need to worry! From blackout cellular shades that also insulate the room, to Roman and roller shades in a wide variety of colors and patterns, to the always child-friendly shutter, there are stylish and affordable options that are also child-safe. Additionally, for the ultimate in cordless control, new motorization options include affordable rechargeable motorized shades. Your local Budget Blinds Design Consultant will be happy to explain the different motorization options available. They will have a lot to show you! Budget Blinds offers a range of choices, including hand held remotes, wand controls, phone apps, and voice activated options. We make it easy to design a room for your child that is safe, cordless and stylish too.
The right room temperature to promote healthy sleep
A comfortable environment is essential for healthy sleep. Just like you are restless in a room that is too hot so will your child be when overheated. Experts recommend keeping a room around 65 degrees F for ideal sleep. If your child’s room has a window that affects the temperature of their room, consider adding a cellular shade or composite shutter to help control the heat of the summer and insulate against the cold of winter months. Insulating lined drapery panels installed over existing window treatments can also help. Installing motorized shades that are programmed to lower with the setting sun can also reduce a room’s temperature as bedtime approaches especially if facing west.
Minimal décor to ease anxiety
As adults we know that simplicity is the key to mindfulness and relaxation especially in our own bedrooms. This is especially true in your child’s bedroom. Children often feel anxious in a cluttered or overly decorated room. Active children can also have trouble sleeping in a room that overstimulates them with color or an abundance of items to explore and distract them from relaxing. Limit wall décor and accessories. Choose a few of their favorite prints or family photos and use books and their favorite stuffed animals as accents. Keep the play toys to a minimum or at least out of sight so their minds can relax and rest, helping them fall asleep, whether it’s naptime or bedtime.
Plenty of storage for a clean organized space
Control the clutter. Child experts remind us that “A crowded and messy child’s bedroom is highly disruptive to sleep patterns – even with the lights off. Plain and simple, chaos causes a sensory overload which leads to anxiety.” Instead establish a place for everything. Use storage containers to organize and keep clutter out of sight. A clean up routine just like a bedtime routine will aid in helping your child to calm down and relax at the end of each day. A little praise from you for a job well done will help too, plus you are helping them develop life-long skills! Not only will they know what to expect each day, they will develop a sense of accomplishment. Feeling good about themselves and their room at the end of each day will add to a sense of calmness and well-being.
With their room organized and neatly picked up, the child-safe blackout shades lowered and the lights dimmed they will certainly fall asleep easily in this well-designed space. Ready to help your child sleep better? Need child-safe window treatments? For more information or to schedule your complimentary in-home consultation or virtual* consultation click here.
