Sleepmaxxinga wellness trend to optimize the quantity and quality of your sleepis a perfectly good excuse to makeover your bedroom. Knowing how to create the perfect sleep environment will have an outsize effect on your general wellbeing as well. The bedroom should be a personal sanctuary, a place where one can truly unwind and recharge, says interior designer Stephanie Martin. Every decor choice you make, whether its the lighting, the window treatments, or the bed itself, impacts how well you rest throughout the night.The idea of sleep hygieneadjusting your behaviors and environment for more Zsis not novel. In fact, it was coined by an Italian physiologist in the 1860s and was revived in the 1970s. Experts, including clinical psychologist and clinical sleep specialist Michael Breus, Ph.D., evaluate the surroundings to optimize your inner clock. I think of four of the five senses and how each one has an effect on sleep, says the author of The Power of When.Translating this into your bedroom design is easy, as long as you focus on texture, temperature, and the overall feel of the space. Here are eight ways to upgrade your bedroom for the best nights sleepand make it look good in the process.Spring for blackout curtainsMelatonin, the sleep hormone, is called the Vampire Hormone, since it only comes out in darkness, says Breus. So whatever a person can do to make their bedroom dark will help with sleep. Replace any flimsy window treatments with elegant heavy drapes to help you rest easy.For undisturbed slumber, Davina Ogilvie, founder of Wovn Home, recommends blackout-lined drapery in lieu of a blind or any other window treatment. Gaps between the edges of a blind and window opening are inevitable, and this is where light can seep through, she explains. With full length drapery on the other hand, fabric covers the entire window and more, making it incredibly effective for light blocking. Floor-to-ceiling drapery will work best for light blocking, and creates a sense of heightened coziness akin to a luxury hotel room.Martin also likes a combination of gauzy sheer underdrapes to filter sunlight and maintain privacy, paired with blackout overdrapes that ensure complete darkness when it's time to sleep.This layering of fabric not only adds a tactile richness to the space but also enhances its acoustic properties, creating a cocoon-like atmosphere that feels both quiet and cozy, she says.Pottery Barn Velvet Twill Blackout CurtainWest Elm European Flax Linen Blackout CurtainKick electronics out of the roomA television and a tangle of cords by your bed arent doing your decoror your sleepany good. Studies have shown that viewing electronics before bed, whether its watching TV or checking email, has a detrimental effect on sleep. Research in the journal Sleep Science, explains that the disruption comes from the blue light suppresses melatonin, heightened emotions as a result of content that can leave you anxious or depressed, and plain scrolling on social media, for instance, instead of actually sleeping. Keep these devices out of the bedroom, replacing them with attractive objets and an old-school alarm clock.Schoolhouse Farbe Alarm ClockArne Jacobsen City Hall Analog Tabletop ClockLayer the lightingLighting has the power to influence our mood and sleep patterns. To create the ultimate sleep environment, Martin emphasizes the importance of layering light. Think of it as orchestrating a symphony for your senses, " she notes. We start with overhead fixtures that provide a warm, inviting glow, complemented by bedside lamps and reading lights that can be adjusted for different activities, all on separate switches and dimmers. This flexibility allows you to establish a bright, energizing space in the morning that gradually transitions to a soft, soothing glow in the evening, setting the perfect mood for restful slumber.