Redecorating your bedroom is one of the most important stages of any interior design project. Getting regular, quality sleep is essential to our overall well being, as not only can it make it easier for us to focus throughout the day, but it can help to improve our physical and mental health.

Of course, getting a good night’s sleep can be easier said than done, but ensuring that you have the right environment is a good place to start. Luckily, there are small design changes that you can make to help improve your quality of sleep. So, if you’re preparing to redecorate your bedroom, here are just five fantastic things that you can implement into your designs. 

Choose the Right Colour Scheme

Finding the right colours for your bedroom space is an important decision, particularly because different shades can drastically alter our overall mood. When selecting the colour theme for your bedroom, consider looking into colour psychology, that way you’ll be able to choose the right shade to create a calm and relaxing environment.

Pale blues are often a popular choice, as they typically evoke feelings of serenity and tranquillity. Lighter colours make a room feel lighter, brighter and bigger too - so maybe avoid dark colours unless you want to create that 'cosy' atmosphere.

Consider Fragrance Diffusers

Another sense that you can engage when choosing the décor for your room is your sense of smell. Just like colours, certain fragrances can help us to feel more relaxed. While many of us use scented candles in our homes, we don’t always like the idea of having an open flame in the bedroom. A good compromise is setting up a fragrance diffuser on your vanity, not only are these much safer, but you can also get the same calming scents.

Find the Right Mattress

One of the biggest hindrances to a good night’s sleep is an uncomfortable mattress. Our mattresses aren’t built to last forever, and if yours is starting to keep you up at night, then the time has come to get yourself a new one.

Of course, with so many makes, models, and stockists out there, it can be hard to know where to start. Finding an experienced mattress retailer will allow you to get the best advice. For example, on archerssleepcentre.co.uk you will find a wide variety of viscoelastic mattresses and many more! Plus, their expert team will be able to advise you on the ideal model for your sleeping requirements.

Utilise Black Out Blinds

If you find that you’re being woken up by the sunlight too early, then your upcoming bedroom renovation is the perfect time to invest in black out blinds or curtains. That way even when the sun rises early in the morning, you’ll still be able to remain sound asleep until you’re ready to wake up!

If you don't like the style and design of blackout curtains, you could choose regular curtains, and then team these with a blackout blind instead. So not only will they add to the aesthetics of the room, but also be super practical as well.

Make Time to Declutter

Having a cluttered bedroom can lead us to feel more stressed and anxious - something that many of us with busy lives could do without! If you find that your bedroom gets messy quickly, spend the weekend having a clear out of everything that you don’t use. And, if items are still in good condition, consider donating them to a charity shop such as Oxfam, rather than sending them to the landfill. That way you’ll also be helping to protect the planet while you’re at it!

Share your bedroom renovation tips in the comments below!

This is a collaborative post.

Should you Add more Seafood to your Diet?

We all know that eating a healthy, varied diet is important for keeping us fit and healthy. A lot of people consider this to be eating more fruits and vegetables, but have you ever considered adding more seafood in to your diet? There are many great reasons to eat more shrimp, and in this post I'm going to share a few with you.

Shrimp is an incredibly versatile seafood

Shrimp can be incorporated into so many different dishes. To give you an idea, here are just a few of the many different ways you can use shrimp.

• Shrimp goes great with rice and is the basis of many sushi dishes.

• Shrimp also works great with Italian pasta dishes like linguine or Asian noodles in the form of a stir fry. It goes very well with garlic and chilli.

• You can also incorporate shrimp into various curries. Shrimp is known to work very well with coconut. 

• Many Mexican dishes can also use shrimp including tacos. It’s also a staple of many Cajun dishes. 

• Cooked shrimp can also be added to salads and cold dishes. For example, this shrimp ceviche from Preppy Kitchen could make a great cold dish for the summer. 

• Shrimp can also make a great starter served with dips like sweet chilli or thousand island sauce. 

• You can even add shrimp to an omelette!

Shrimp is a lean source of protein

Compared to many meats and fishes, shrimp is relatively low in fat while also being high in protein. For example, when compared to chicken, shrimp has about 60% less fat and 40% more protein per calorie. This chicken vs shrimp comparison at Souper Sage offers more information. This makes it a fantastic source of protein for people that are trying to lose weight. It can also be a great source of protein for bodybuilders that are trying to gain muscle and reduce fat at the same time.

Shrimp contains many other nutrients too, including - potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iron. It also contains a rare antioxidant called astaxanthin. This is found within algae, which is a major food source for shrimp, and has been found to be potentially very good for heart health. You’ll also find a lot of iodine within shrimp. Iodine is important for thyroid function. Those with an iodine deficiency may find that eating shrimp helps.

It’s also worth noting that shrimp contains some omega-3. This is not as much omega-3 as you’ll find in other forms of seafood, but still more than you get from most other foods. Omega-3 is believed to be very good for both our heart and our brain.

Shrimp doesn’t cost as much as other seafood

Compared to many other forms of seafood, shrimp is also quite affordable. It is particularly cheap compared to other sources of protein like meat. By swapping out some fish and meat for shrimp each week, you could save yourself some money on your food shopping.

It’s worth noting that shrimp is a different species to prawns and that prawns can be pricier (particularly jumbo king prawns). This is because shrimp are generally smaller than prawns and more abundant.

What recipe will you be trying shrimp with first?

This is a collaborative post.