While many of us focus on luxury mattresses or blackout blinds for better sleep, one often overlooked factor is the colour of your bedroom. The shades you surround yourself with at night can have a surprising impact on how easily you relax and drift off.
“White is one of the most powerful colours for promoting a restful mind,” explains Martin Seeley, Senior Sleep Expert at MattressNextDay. “When your bedroom is entirely white, from the walls to the bedding and even the rug, it creates a blank canvas effect that helps strip away visual clutter. This lack of distraction allows the brain to enter a calmer state, which is essential for falling asleep more quickly.”
Martin shares how an all white bedroom can transform your sleep environment, as well as the simple tweaks to make sure it feels comforting rather than stark.
Clarity and calm
“White is strongly linked with feelings of purity, simplicity, and balance,” says Martin. “By removing bold, busy colours from your sleep space, you’re essentially quieting the room visually. That sense of clarity helps the nervous system wind down at the end of the day.”
Boosting mood with light
“During the daytime, white reflects natural light, which can improve mood and create an uplifting, open atmosphere,” Martin explains. “This becomes especially important as we move into autumn and winter, when the days are shorter and natural light is limited. A white bedroom maximises whatever daylight you do get, helping to lift mood in the darker months. At night, under soft, warm lighting, the same white room takes on a cocoon like quality, ideal for signalling to the body that it’s time to rest.”
The psychological effect of white
“Colours carry psychological weight, and white is universally associated with peace and renewal,” says Martin. “That’s why an all white space can promote more positive, calmer mental states before bed, whereas bold shades like red are stimulating and can actually raise heart rate and alertness, making it harder to fall asleep. Some people even find that a white room encourages lighter, calmer dreams, because the mind isn’t holding onto strong visual triggers from the environment.”
The importance of texture
“While an all white room can feel incredibly calming, it’s important to balance the purity of the colour with cosy textures. Try to involve soft throws, cotton sheets, or a plush rug,” advises Martin. “These tactile layers stop the space from feeling clinical and instead create a soothing sanctuary that supports deep, restorative sleep.”
About MattressNextDay
MattressNextDay is a leading online mattress retailer, operating since 2004. They specialize in competitive prices and free, fast next-day delivery, as well as other services such as mattress removal and recycling. They offer 1000s of mattresses, beds and bedding products, from multiple prestigious brands, including Hypnos, Silentnight, Sealy & Tempur. MattressNextDay also provides sleep and product advice, from both their buying guides and dedicated sleep blog, ‘Snooze News’. Their CEO, Martin Seeley, is a recognized Sleep Expert, regularly giving specialist advice to a number of renowned publications, such as The Guardian, Daily Mail and The Independent.
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