The past two years have seen more of us working from home than ever before. But not everyone has the luxury of a home office in a separate room of the house, many of us have found our sleep sanctuary has been invaded by workspace.
If bedroom zoom meetings in your loungewear have replaced real-life meeting rooms, you might think such close proximity to your bed after a long day of working would make it easier to fall asleep (it is the world’s shortest commute after all). Studies are showing this is not the case, with insomnia, fatigue and anxiety rates rising - with a huge 77% who participated in this study reporting that lack of sleep is interfering with their ability to function in the day time.
If you’re someone who’s had to convert your bedroom into a multipurpose working space and sleep sanctuary, here are 6 tips to make sure you’re catching those healthy zzz’s.
Though it might be tempting to jump into bed with your laptop and get comfy under the covers, try to resist! All the experts will tell you that the bed should be a sacred space for sleep - and other strictly bedroom activities.
Not only does separating your work from where you sleep leave your bed as a calm and peaceful zone for sleeping, but sitting in a bed for long periods of time is not good for your posture. Bad posture increases your risk of ailments like carpal tunnel. It’s also not a great look for those zoom calls.
If space permits, set up a corner of the room as a designated work space, try to include an ergonomic chair and, very important, make sure you have somewhere to position your laptop at eye-level. A stack of books can do the trick.
TOP TIP: Make it somewhere you look forward to sitting down to by adding items like a plant, your favourite coffee mug and a soft 100% Natural Cotton or Bamboo Throw Blanket to replicate the comfort of bed - outside the bed.
Every good relationship needs boundaries, and when you work from home this becomes more important than ever - physically and metaphorically. Just because you’re not actually going into the office doesn’t mean your employer will expect you to be “on” 24/7. Setting clear work hours and sticking to them will help you resist the temptation of checking emails while you unwind in the evening. Turn off your laptop, mute notifications and get into the habit of not checking your emails ‘after hours’.
This goes for your actual workspace too. A separate room you can close the door on when you ‘clock off’ is ideal, but if your bedroom is also your office try to pack away your set up at the end of the day and put it out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind!
Establishing routines such as making the bed will not only help you fight the temptation to jump back in, but it also creates a clean and clear space to work in. (Anyone else find themselves procrastinating and cleaning when they should be working?).
In the morning, swap your cozy Bamboo Robe for comfortable work clothes when you sit down at your laptop, it will help your brain to switch on and off again from work mode. It’s that feeling of kicking your shoes off when you come home from a long day at the office, but replicated in the home office environment.
It can also be helpful to create a workday ritual, such as making a coffee, setting up your workspace with anything you might need like water and snacks, or creating a “productivity playlist” to listen to exclusively during work hours.
If you have to work from your bedroom, take as many breaks as you can. And eat your meals in other rooms of the house and go outside if possible. A change of scenery, fresh air and some Vitamin D can do amazing things for your mental health, and also for your productivity and creativity. Spending all day in the same room isn’t healthy! If you can’t go outside, open up the windows to let the fresh air in.
We’re all guilty of phone scrolling before bed. But if you’re experiencing serious difficulty falling asleep, it might be time to look at switching off your electronic devices in bed; or at least 1-hour before you would like to go to sleep. Blue light emitted from phones and tablets suppresses melatonin levels (melatonin is the hormone that helps us feel drowsy!), which affects the time it takes us to fall asleep. Swap phone scrolling for new bedtime habits such as lighting a candle and reading a book.
Finally, how alluring is your bed? Does it call you to get in? Or is it messy and uninviting? There is no greater feeling than sliding in between your favourite sheets after a long day of work. We spend a third of our lives sleeping after all, so selecting the right bedding is vital to guaranteeing a restful sleep. Invest in high quality, natural fibre bed linen for the best sleep conditions.
A 100% Bamboo Quilt and hypoallergenic Bamboo Pillow are the best choice for year-round quality, comfort and temperature control. For the most luxurious softest sheets around, try our 100% Organic Bamboo Sheet Sets, they feel amazing on your skin, and they are available in 14 beautiful colours!
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