Sleeping in a Green Oasis: How Garden Design Can Influence Sleep Quality

Picture yourself drifting off to sleep surrounded by lush greenery. Imagine those soothing sounds of nature lulling you into a more peaceful state of mind. But it's not just a dream. Working elements of garden design into your bedroom can actually have a positive impact on your sleep quality and improve your mental well-being too.

Nature is renowned for promoting relaxation and reducing stress (1).But it’s also adept at improving air quality and welcoming the outdoors into your bedroom can help to build a deeper connection with nature (2). So here, we take a look at how creating a green oasis in your bedroom can help to enhance your sleep experience. Scroll on to learn more.

The power of biophilia

Biophilia is the innate human tendency to seek connections with nature (3). And it can play a significant role in promoting positive physical and emotional well-being (4). So, by integrating natural elements into our indoor spaces – including our bedrooms – we can create environments that help to promote relaxation, minimise stress, and make us smile. These natural elements can be anything from plants and natural light to organic materials and beyond.

Adding some elements usually reserved for garden design like potted or hanging plants, or even living walls into the bedroom can bring about a feeling of calm and tranquillity. This is handy when the time comes to unwind and prepare yourself for a great night's sleep. Improving Air Quality and Oxygen Levels Plants are natural air purifiers. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen through the process of photosynthesis (5) – remember that buzz word from high school science lessons?

By having houseplants in your bedroom, you can improve the air quality indoors and increase oxygen levels. This can help to create a healthier and more conducive sleep environment.

When it comes to choosing plants for the bedroom, be on the lookout for air-purifying genus. Snake plants, peace lilies, and spider plants are all example of air purifying genus, which are well-known for their ability to remove toxins and pollutants from the air. This plant superpower should hopefully not only promote a great night’s sleep but better respiratory health too (6).

Building a relaxing atmosphere

Garden design principles are all about creating spaces that engage the senses. And by engaging multiple sense at once, we help to build a feeling of harmony and balance (7).

So, welcoming design elements such as water features and aromatic plants into your bedroom can have the same effect indoors. It can help you to establish a relaxing ambiance that in turn helps to promote sleep and relaxation (8). From a table-top fountain to an indoor waterfall, soothing sounds of running water can help to relieve any stress that has built up during the day while fragrant herbs like lavender or chamomile can further promote relaxation too.

Building a better connection with nature 

Today’s world is extremely fast-paced world. And that is causing many of us to feel varying degrees of disconnect from the natural world around us. Many of us end up spending the vast majority of our time indoors surrounded by technology and artificial lighting.

But by working some garden design elements into our bedrooms, we can start to rebuild our connection with nature and perhaps even tap into its powers of restoration. By simply positioning your bed nearer to your bedroom window to ensure you awake to a view of your garden or the outdoor world, you’ll promote a deeper connection with the great outdoors. Plus, waking up to the sight and sounds of nature each morning can actually work wonders for our wellbeing too. Nature is, after all, a calming influence in an otherwise chaotic world (9).

Promoting relaxation and relieving stress

Studies indicate that spending time in nature helps to reduce stress and lower blood pressure which in turn makes us feel more relaxed which contributes to better well-being (10). So, it stands to reason that creating a green oasis in your bedroom can help you make the most of those benefits nature’s calming influence has to offer.

If you want to design a space that encourages your to unwind and decompress at the end of a hard day, look to work elements like soft lighting, pops of comfort, and some natural textures into your bedroom design. The ultimate goal is to create a sleep environment that is both inviting and ready to relax in. 

Garden design in the bedroom: our conclusion

Creating a bedroom that is reminiscent of the natural world may be a beautiful design choice, but it’s also a great way to improve the quality of sleep you achieve while giving our well-being a boost.

Look to add elements of garden design like plants or flowers, natural lighting, and soothing sounds. These bedroom design elements should enable you to build a safe haven where you’ll be able to escape the stresses of daily life and welcome in the restorative powers of our natural world.

If you’re in need of some help choosing the perfect comfort-assured bedding, supportive mattress, or stylish and functional bedroom furniture, we’re always on hand to help. Pop into your local Bensons store or browse our website to find the perfect nature-inspired pieces to add to your outdoor-indoor bedroom design.

Sources:

1. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/nature-and-mental-health/how-nature-benefits-mental-health/
2. https://www.permaculturewomen.com/bring-nature-inside/
3. https://www.britannica.com/science/biophilia-hypothesis
4. https://ioh.org.uk/2023/09/the-role-of-biophilia-in-workplace-health-and-wellbeing/
5. https://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis
6. https://bioadvanced.com/5-benefits-houseplants
7. https://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/resources/guidance/sensory-gardens-design-guide
8. https://www.planteriagroup.com/blog/6-relaxing-plants-for-the-office/
9. https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/waking-up-to-natural-sounds
10. https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health