WILL A TV IN THE BEDROOM AFFECT MY SLEEP?
When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, it is believed that the TV not only keeps us up later at night but too much pre-sleep viewing can disrupt sleep cycles.
'The bedroom should be a welcoming place and the perfect sleep environment is usually cool, quiet, dark, clutter-free and features a comfortable supportive bed,' says Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity. 'We advise that electronic devices are switched off an hour before bedtime, or banned from the bedroom.' 'There are impacts around having a TV in the bedroom,' says Lisa. 'Firstly, there is the danger that bright screens in the hour before bedtime can affect our sleep (in particular, how long it takes for us to fall asleep) by suppressing the sleep hormone, melatonin and disrupting the body’s circadian rhythms. Secondly, the hyper-alertness that comes after watching a particular high-octane, cliff-hanger episode. Binge-watching has become a normal viewing habit as the temptation to stay up to find out what happens next is too much for some. However, the knock-on effect is that people are skipping sleep or making themselves tired because of it.'
SHOULD YOU HAVE A TV IN THE BEDROOM?
There are pros and cons to both to both stances, so the answer might be different for different people – it truly depends on your lifestyle and how you define 'winding down.' 'Honestly, this is a personal choice,' say interior designers Jenna Choate-James and Mariana Ugarte of Interior Fox. 'If you're someone who likes to wind down and read a book, it's hard to do when you have a TV. However, it's also nice to have some hot tea in bed while watching a movie, as there is nothing cozier!'
For some people, the evenings provide a valuable opportunity to meditate, evaluate, and even spend time talking to loved ones. The bedroom becomes an oasis for reflection and introspection. And so, there is no need for a TV in that environment. Light reading in the evening helps many fall asleep faster. On the other hand, some others look for a little bit of entertainment before calling it a night. Just bear in mind, some people refer to a TV in a bedroom as a 'passion killer' for this very reason. So should you have a TV in a bedroom? Honestly, if you can do without, do. Differentiating the use of your spaces will help signal to your brain that a bedroom is for sleep. But, our designers say it isn't a design crime, and that there are ways to make a TV in a bedroom work. So, if you're committed to that evening binge-watch in bed, we asked interior designers how they tackle layouts and more in a bedroom when a TV is involved.
1. HIDE IT WELL
If you do decide to keep the TV in the bedroom, and you don't want it to draw any attention, plus you want to keep all the lights emitting from it far away from your sleeping area, then consider hiding it inside a unit; one that blends with the rest of the room. Consider hiding it inside a unit that has a sliding door or built-in storage that allows you to keep all the gadgets out of sight.
2. CREATE A BEAUTIFUL BESPOKE UNIT
'I will say that gone are the old days when everyone wanted to hide their TVs as they were big, ugly brutes,' says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director of Kelling Designs. 'Now, in the right place, with the right care, and with so many modern, designer-led options available from the best TV brands, they can look quite smart.'
3. CHOOSE THE BEST LOCATION
Whether it's the couple's bedroom or guest bedroom, finding the right location for the TV in a bedroom is important, as it dictates your TV-viewing experience and also ensures your eyes don't get fatigued with too little or too much TV-to-bed distance. The best place to put a TV in a bedroom is right across from the bed as this is the easiest place for viewing. Alternatively, you can place it on top of a dresser, at the end of the bed, inside a built-in cabinet, or in the corner of the room (in case you don't watch TV too much).