It's impossible to avoid feeling stressed when you can't nod off. Whether you're on medication for insomnia or you're yet to talk to your doctor, medical treatment is only half of the solution. You need to ensure your nighttime environment is sleep-ready if you want to eradicate your insomnia. Here are some bedroom furnishing tips that will help you on your way to getting your beauty sleep.   

Keep Light Out

Exposure to light and dark is the way the human brain knows when it's time to sleep. Light stimulates your body to feel wide awake, so make sure you keep as much light out of your bedroom as possible. Blackout blinds are the ideal way to keep your room dark at night. If you want to be able to bring light in during the day without sacrificing privacy, double roller blinds might be for you. They have two counterparts -- a translucent blind that lets light in, and a blackout blind that keeps light out.

The Right Bed

Did you know that your bed itself could be impeding your sleep? Mattresses that are too hard or too soft can cause back pain during the night, waking you from your sleep. The right mattress depends on your needs, so consider trialling beds of varying firmness at your local furniture store. If you can't afford a new mattress, a topper should suffice. Similarly, the wrong pillows can cause discomfort in your neck and shoulders. Memory foam or microbead pillows could be the way forward if you have sensitive joints.

Not Too Hot

While you may think being warm and cosy is conducive to sleep, research shows the opposite. The optimal sleep-time temperature is actually 15-19°C. Given that temperatures across Australia can sometimes exceed 40°C, it can be hard to keep cool overnight. Ensuring your AC unit is functioning correctly could be the difference between a good night's sleep and a nightmare. If you still find yourself too hot, you may need a bladeless fan for your bedside table. Bladeless fans can be quite pricey, but they can also be up to 75% quieter than regular fans, reducing interruptions to your sleep. 

Savvy Storage Solutions

Just as lack of sleep causes stress, stress causes lack of sleep. One easy way to reduce stress is to get rid of clutter. Even if you don't realise it, mess can have a significant effect on your mind. A study at St. Lawrence University suggests that those with more clutter and mess have more trouble sleeping. If you find your bedroom getting messy often, invest in more storage. Under-bed boxes, rails and shelves in your wardrobe, and bedside shelving can all help you keep clutter (and bad sleep) away.