Do you jump out of bed and greet the morning with a smile? Then it could be time to paint your bedroom blue

Forget thread count or memory foam mattresses, the key to a good night's sleep could be down to the colour of your bedroom as 58% of Brits with blue rooms wake up feeling happy and refreshed

By Caroline Keenan
last updated

Want a good night's slumber? Well, according to a new study the answer is to decorate your bedroom blue.

The study of 2,000 British homes for Travelodge hotels reveals how bedroom colour schemes affect the quality and quantity of sleep that Brits get every night.

Blue is the best colour to decorate your bedroom if you want a good night's sleep - with this colour scheme resulting in an average of 7 hours and 52 minutes' sleep each night.

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vivid blue bedroom

(Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore)

If you're wondering how on earth your bedroom colour scheme could have an effect on your
sleep, it could be because blue is associated with a feeling of
calmness.

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Other colours with a positive effect include yellow, which creates a warm and cosy atmosphere, stimulates the nervous system and aids relaxation. Green also creates a restful, calming environment, essential to inducing sleep.

‘It's not surprising that blue came out top in the study,’ says Colour Therapy and Holistic Interior Design Consultant, Suzy Chiazzari. ‘Psychologically we relate blue to calm waters and blue sky, which we find very soothing.

‘Certain shades of yellow and green are relaxing colours too and are known to reduce stress and aid a good night's sleep.’

yellow and grey motif bedroom

(Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore)

The sleep study also revealed that 58% of Britons who have a blue bedroom regularly wake up feeling happy, while 22% who sleep in a green bedroom wake up feeling positive and upbeat.

‘This is an amazing result, as there are receptors in the retina of our
eyes, which are most sensitive to the colour blue,’ says Chris
Idzikowski, Sleep Expert at the Edinburgh Sleep Centre.

‘These
receptors feed information into an area deep in our brain that controls
24-hour rhythms and affects how we perform and feel during the day.’

muted damson and grey four poster bed

(Image credit: Future PLC/Kristin Perers)

In contrast, purple, grey and brown are the worst colour schemes if you want to sleep well.

Creative types who plump for dramatic purple in the bedroom could be stimulating their minds a little too much, as they only get 5 hours 56 minutes' sleep on average a night.

But if you've got a bold purple bedroom scheme, never fear because there's another study that suggests those with purple bedrooms could just be the ones having the most fun...

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Caroline Keenan
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