A comfortable mattress is the biggest factor in having a nice bedroom. If the mattress isn’t comfortable, why sleep on the bed? To make sure your mattress is comfortable, there are several things you can look out for when buying one. Let’s begin at the bottom of the bed and make our way towards the top.

- The most basic part is the frame. The frame needs to be able to hole the box springs and the mattress pad up off the floor without bending or breaking. This means the bed frame needs to be made of heavy wood, metal or a combination of the two. A good bed frame will have several rails running underneath the box springs; this will spread the weight of the box springs, mattress and you around. Often three or four is enough, but some frames will have more and some will have less depending on the size of the frame. Also, decorative wooden frames are just that: decorative. They have no bearing on the safety or sturdiness of the frame.

- If you’re buying a new mattress, keeping your old box springs isn’t recommended, even if you’re trying to save money. Manufacturers recommend buying a new set of box springs so that they will keep the same age as the mattress. This is because a mattress and a set of box springs are typically made together and are designed to be used together. If your box springs is old, chances are it’s started to sag, which can really make the new mattress feel uncomfortable. Imagine laying down in your bed and all of sudden feeling as if the center fell out! That’s not a very pleasant night.

- For the mattress itself, it’s pretty straightforward. No matter what the mattress is made of (air, water, metal coils, tempur memory foam, etc. ) it is basically a support system for your back, specifically your spine. It’s important for the spine to be kept in the correct position while you sleep. This is due to several reasons, but the biggest one is that your spine actually stretches while you sleep. When you are awake, your body weight gradually forces the spine to slowly contract throughout the day. At night, when you are asleep and off your weight, the spine stretches back out again. If the spine is contorted or in an awkward position during the night, it won’t make you a morning person at all.

There are several characteristics to consider when choosing the best mattress in terms of your spinal health. The type of mattress is the most basic, but there’s really no ‘best’ recommendation for this one. Experiment with the different mattress types if you can, and find the one that fits you the best. Firmness is the next quality, and be careful with this one because firmer isn’t always better. If a mattress is too firm the body won’t be supported evenly, and if the mattress is too soft sags and creates exactly the same effect. It’s important to find your own personal balance of firmness and softness. When you are asleep, your muscles work throughout the night to find the best position for you. That is why you often find yourself in a different position when you wake up then you were in when you went to sleep! The wrong mattress for you can throw this process way off, possibly creating a trip to the chiropractor.

There are easier ways to make sure your mattress is comfortable, of course. One of them is to turn your mattress regularly, both vertically and horizontally. This ensures that mattress lasts longer. Another way is to clean it on a timely basis. Take it outside and whomp it with a broom to get all the dust out. If it’s too soft, place a half-inch-thick sheet of plywood in between the mattress and the box springs. If it’s too firm, try a variety of soft mattress toppers. Tempur memory foam might work for you, but other options work just as well if not better. There are mattress pads made of egg carton, pads filled with feathers, etc. Try each one out and see what works for you.

The most important easy way to make sure your mattress is comfortable is to try it out before you buy it. Lie down on it in the store before you purchase it. This may just end up saving you all the time and effort you would have spent trying to fix it if you had bought it and didn’t try it out first. Sometimes the easiest way is the best way.

Don’t forget that your mattress will also have a longer life if you use it properly.

In the last post, I talked about redecorating your bedroom to better suit your needs. Now I will complete the process by explaining how to arrange  your bedroom. Painting your bedroom is only half the race. To win the race and give yourself an excellent night’s sleep, you need to furnish it properly. Oftentimes your old furniture won’t work with the color scheme you’ve chosen, even if you’ve chose a scheme based on the white wood bedroom furniture you already have. The reason for this is that sometimes the room simply takes on a life of it’s own. The color scheme might not work the way you designed it to, especially once the paint dries and you move the furniture back in. Or the white wicker bedroom furniture itself might be old and in need of replacement by newer, more viable specimens.

Of course, the biggest piece of furniture is the bed. Other furniture pieces have their place in a bedroom, too. An armoire or dresser, for example, is the perfect place to store your clothes if you don’t have a closet. A nightstand is an absolute must-have for a bedside lamp and a few midnight reading materials. A desk might be useful if you like working in your bedroom. Other items you can use are mirrors, makeup vanity tables, etc. All of these can make the bedroom a true living space.

The highest priority for you in redecorating and rearranging your bedroom is making sure it is peaceful. If after this process your bedroom still isn’t peaceful for you to be in, you may as well not have ever done it. To ensure your bedroom is peaceful, there are a couple of things you can do.

- Don’t have a television! This way you bypass having the outside world intrude on your private resting place and you get the peace of mind you want. Having the television (if you have one at all) in another part of the house clearly separates your outside world from your inside world, consequently giving you a greater distinction between your work/social life and your home life. This gives you the peace you want because having that distinction allows you to set firmer boundaries and take better care of yourself. Many, many people do not know how to set boundaries at all, and they free rein to people to whom they would be much better off telling to keep their distance. By the same metaphor, television can invade your boundaries, too. Keeping it in another room maintains your boundaries, doesn’t pollute your relax time, and makes it easier to focus on rest and recovery to better prepare to face tomorrow.

- Make sure your mattress is comfortable. This is a particularly big one since you will obviously spend the majority of time in your bedroom in your bed. If not, make sure the chair at your desk is equally comfortable. A good mattress will be built to last you a long time so that you don’t have to worry about buying a new one every so often. Make sure you choose a good frame, box springs and mattress in order to have an agreeable bed.

After deciding what kind and how many pieces of furniture you will have in your bedroom, the arranging is pretty simple. There are a few common-sense notions to keep in mind when placing your furniture around your bedroom, so make sure you remember the following ideas:

1) The bed usually goes against the center of the wall that is opposite the doorway into the room. This is because the bed commands attention being the natural focal point of the room, especially if the bed is a double-size, queen-size or king-size.

2) If you have a window and it’s frequently open, do not place the bed directly under it. The open window will create a cold draft. If you have two windows, however, placing the bed between them works very well.

3) You obviously must avoid placing the bed so that it obstructs a doorway into the bedroom, closet, etc. Did you also know that placing a bed at an angle sometimes helps the room look bigger? Placing it at a right angle to a corner of the room creates this effect nicely.

4) Additionally, you can make the room seem bigger if you keep it free of clutter, especially toys if you have children.

5) A chest placed at the foot of the bed can provide a needed storage area and help make the room look classier.

6) If you want to, place two nightstands on either side of the bed. This will help visually balance the room and make it more appealing.

Aside from this specific tips, there are only a few things I can say more: don’t congregate the furniture on one side or in one part of the room. This will unbalance it and create an awkward vibe. Instead spread the furniture out around the room to make it more open.

That’s it for now. Remember, redecorating and arranging your room isn’t difficult at all if you stick to the principles. Happy sleeping!