How turning your bedroom into a full-on sanctuary can help you sleep even better

In a world with constant stress, memes-a-plenty, and news that never stops, sometimes you might just wish you could send yourself to savasana mode. Here’s a one-way ticket to that state of mind courtesy of Athena Calderone, founder of the Eye Swoon blog and author of Cook Beautiful, who has created a swoon-worthy ethos in her well-edited Instagram. The feed will send your stress levels plummeting, and at a time when the new year asks us to start fresh, banish bad habits, and quite simply reset, that could come in rather handy. Here, she turns an eye to how to transform your bedroom into a sanctuary.

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Sleep is at the center of everything you do when you’re awake. Even though I know that it’s important to spend eight hours curled up inside of my own cozy bed, I still find that it can be hard to prioritize the time to do so, when life is so busy and the to-do list is ever-growing.

However, I’ve discovered that by transforming my sleeping space into a full-on, blissed-out sanctuary, I’m even more drawn to it at the end of each day. And when you stop and think about it, this is exactly how you should view your bedroom—as a calming and luxurious retreat at the end of a long day.

In my opinion, a beautiful and inviting bed doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. With just a few simple tweaks, you can shift how your bed feels and makes you feel. My goal for the new year is to make my bedroom into a place that feels celebratory of completing one day and beginning another.

Keep scrolling for all of the ways to turn your bedroom into a sleep oasis.

Make your bed in the morning

Have you ever had one of those frantic days where you rush out the door with an unmade bed and you just feel a bit off? Same. I like to begin each morning by slowing down and setting the pace for the day. Not only does a neat and clean bed look better and feel better when I crawl back into it at night, some experts even suggest that the daily practice is also correlated with higher productivity.

Give your space style

You don’t have to be an interior decorator to create a warm, cozy haven. But there are certain spaces in your home that deserve the extra attention. Get rid of mismatched sheet sets and take some time to let your space showcase what makes you feel best. Florals, warm colors, multiple pillows; the space should reflect you.

Sift through your linen closet

Get rid of old towels, worn sheets, and deflated pillows for a fresh start. There’s no better way to begin the year than by investing in your slumber. You can do this with your budget in mind, but remember, these items are a part of your every-day routine, so you should feel at liberty to make the investment for sheets that you love. This is a good time to think about this as well, because the new year brings on amazing sales on high-end sheets.

Prioritize cleanliness

Your bed is about your body’s comfort, but we sometimes forget about our skin. You lay your cheek to rest on your pillow night after night. Ensure it has a clean, luxurious surface free of dirt and odors. Take time to clean your sheets weekly or (at the very least) every other week.

Athena Calderone is a celebrated interior designer, chef, entertaining expert, and creator of the award-winning lifestyle site EyeSwoon. Whether layering flavors in the kitchen, setting a bountiful table, or designing a room, she’s known for her use of graceful yet juxtaposed pairings—finding yin-and-yang in all that she does. Fueled by her belief that beautiful food and design bring us together and turn little moments into lasting memories, Athena remains committed to push the boundaries of her craft. With her cookbook, Cook Beautiful (released this October) Athena shares how to achieve her impeccable yet approachable cooking style in every season.

Photo: Nicole FranzenIf you’re a week into the new year, but a week-behind on inspiration, you’re just a click away from everything you need to start out on the right foot.