How Would You Build Your Dream Bed? (AD)

***Collaborative Post***

What kind of bed do you have? What bed do you dream about?

A good night's sleep is incredibly important for our health and wellbeing. In fact, it is just as important as eating healthy and exercising. But as sleep deprived parents we know only too well that getting enough sleep is not always possible. Cats on the other hand always seem to have a good sleep. They always look so comfy in their beds and on ours. Think they must be able to teach us something!

Here are some tips for getting a better nights sleep and we ask other parents (sorry not cats) what their dream bed would be ...

How Would You Build Your Dream Bed?

If I were to design my own bed it would be cool yet cosy. Have an amazing sea view – added bonus if it has a beach outside too! With built-in music, mug holders, bookshelf and even better if it could make me a cup of coffee every morning too. But best of all it would have a magical time machine that made sure you got plenty sleep every night!

Now I know that’s not possible but there are many ways that you can help guarantee a better night’s sleep – until the little ones wake up of course! Sorry, can’t control them.

Colour

The colour of your room has a big impact. A soft light blue will soothe a tired mind - but a dark blue will stimulate thinking and concentration. Those wanting a sensual and romantic ambience should opt for soft pinks or apricots, while red does bring out a passionate side.

Avoid yellow as this is the colour that stimulates the nervous system so it’s likely to make you feel grumpy and irritable in the morning I was surprised with having everything white though. As it’s the only colour that doesn’t come from nature we find it very hard to relate to it. It can be very tiring and be draining to be around, which has a negative impact on our physical, mental and emotional energy, and wellbeing.

Houseplants

I've written about how good houseplants are at cleaning your house before, and this applied in the bedroom too. One of the Best Plants to have in your bedroom is the Gerbera Daisy – One of my all-time favourite plants (It was my chosen bloom for my wedding day). The gerbera daisy plant has lovely blooms that bring cheer to any space and releases extra oxygen into the air during the night-time. Making it an ideal sleeping accompaniment.

Food

What we eat influences our sleep too. Try milk, salmon, Chamomile tea, bananas, cherries, walnuts, lettuce, jasmine rice, kale and hummus to improve the quality of your slumber. My supper doesn’t resemble that very often – think I may give it a go!

8 Top Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep from Joy Richards, editor of The Comfort Zone

1. Young or old, create a routine and try to go to bed at the Same Time Every Night

2. This just sounds wrong - Never Sleep in – what about all of those all too infrequent luxury lie-ins that I miss. Good to know it’s actually doing me some good not getting a lie in.

3. Oops, I’m bad at this one. Avoid Napping. I’m often found asleep on the sofa

4. Get Out in the Sunshine. Totally agree with this I always sleep better when I’ve spent time outside especially in the sun.

5. Avoid Tech Late at Night. Yep, guilty of this one too. Sometimes resisting the urge to check your emails, the latest posts on Instagram or read the blog post is too hard.

6. Get Regular Exercise. Another good reason to exercise

7. Give Your Bedroom a Makeover. Keep your room cool, minimise noise and investing in a quality mattress can all work wonders.

8. Consider Your Diet - Diet plays a huge part in your sleep health and not just what you eat last thing at night.

Build Your Own Bed

Over on the Happy Beds website you can build your own bed choosing the size, colour, headboard, depth, storage and mattress to create the perfect bed for you.

I asked some other parents what their dream bed would have. Tom Hardy was suggested a few times – I’m sure his CBeebies bedtime story has something to do with it - but impossible dreams aside, this is what they'd love their dream bed to have said …

Ayse said, “My dream bed would have a place for my glasses so they don't drop off the side all the time and so much storage I can hide all the junk I'm too much of a hoarder to part with it.”

Nikki said, “I would like a big squishy headboard so I am comfortable whilst in bed and sat up reading!"

Michelle said, “A built-in massage mattress so I could have a massage every night before going to sleep, aah life would be perfect!"

Jenna said, “A heated mattress!!! The electric blankets just don’t cut it these days.

Nadia said, “My main wish would be for it to be huge. My other half is very tall and our toddler tends to come in as well so I’d love a big bed to fit in everyone. Elevation would be another thing and a built-in side table."

Kelly said, “I would make it big enough for myself, hubby, two kids and dog. I'd also love draws to pull out that are full of DVDs, snacks, everything I'd need so I wouldn't have to move, perhaps including a hot chocolate maker. I'd also love one of those TVs that magically come out of the end of the bed! It would also be great if it was den like with curtains and fort-style design - I could go on... "

Vikki said, “Mine would have a plush tea and coffee maker. I’m thinking slightly better technology than the 1980’s Teasmaid ?! - perhaps with Tom Hardy serving it? And a vast biscuit selection!"

Beth said, “A built-in cooker, WiFi, fridge and the ability to make it warm or cool it down. Oh and a huge tv at the bottom so I never have to leave!"

Emma said, “Half heated and half set to cold I’m always freezing and my hubby is always hot. Built-in iPad / phone holders so we don’t break our necks trying to watch a box set."

Aleena said, “A huge traditional old style four-poster with hundreds of sheets and blankets like the Victorian’s had... The type you have to actually climb into! But I’d modernise it with a secret pull out drawer for books, and a digital screen/smart TV that slides up from the end. It’d have speakers in the headboard that played soft music to sleep to or the radio to wake up to... Oh, and a built-in coffee station like on the side or something that you could pull out. And a cup holder! "

Susan said, “Pop up arms and slanted backrest so I could read comfily. A pop-up laptop table so I could work from bed and a wee shelf on the side to put my food and hot chocolate :) "

Laura said,: “Something to block out my husband's snoring but still allow me to hear the kids in the night?! It would also have loads of cushions that I could sink into but they would magically look tidy again the next morning."

Rebecca said, “I would love a simple and chic Scandinavian styled bed with storage and floating shelves either side of the bed. I would love it to somehow include space for phones to be charged at the side too."

Wow, a bed incorporating all of those would be amazing!

What would make your bed a dream bed?

Deb x

Disclosure: This post was created in collaboration with HappyBeds - the UK’s fastest-growing bed and mattress retailer. Born from humble beginnings in Northern England, Happy Beds was created to ensure that everyone can have a great night’s sleep without breaking the bank. Since starting in 2010, we’ve grown into one of the country’s best-loved bed, mattress and bedroom furniture retailers. Due to excellent customer service and product rating it won the Feefo Trusted Merchant 2016 Award and Feefo Trusted Service 2017 Award.