How to sleep: Five pillow colours to avoid – they could be harming your sleep warns expert
SLEEP can be a hard to come by commodity at the peak of summer. The hot and sweaty nights mean rest can be hard to attain. However, it's not just the temperature that could be affecting your quality of sleep - the colour of the pillow you rest your head on may prove a hindrance too.
Sleep hacks: Expert advises on using menthol oils in the heat
Colours are known to impact the psyche; it's part of the reason why paintings or objects can have an emotional impact.
So too can the colour of a pillow impact how well someone sleeps.
Sleep expert Karen Yu says there are five key colours to avoid:
• Purple
• Red
• Bright pink
• Brown
• Grey.
Ms Yu says purple is to be avoided because "it's closely associated with creativity which is more likely to wake you up rather than help you get a peaceful night's sleep”.
READ MORE: High cholesterol: Two cooking oils that might appear healthy to avoid
Meanwhile, red is to be avoided as the colour is “associated with excitement, passion, and sensuality, red might seem like the perfect colour scheme for your pillows”.
Ms Yu added: “If you have red pillows, you'll likely feel more restless and stressed – which, in turn, can make your sleep elusive.”
Furthermore, bright pink is one choice not to make because it exhibits the same characteristics as red and purple.
Despite its comparatively dull appearance brown is not recommended as Ms Yu said it can make the bedroom “feel uninviting at night and uninspiring in the morning”.
The final colour of disrepute is grey for the same reasons as brown: it’s uninspiring nature.
What colours are good for sleep?
Ms Yu said while some colours can make going to sleep harder, others can improve the process such as blue, lavender, or periwinkle.
While the colour of pillows can play a role in sleep, they are not the defining factor in sleep quality.
Instead, the NHS lists a range of factors which can help improve sleep hygiene and thus quality of the rest.
READ MORE: How to sleep: ‘Cheap and easy-to-implement’
Examples of good sleep hygiene include:
• Sticking to a routine
• Getting regular exercise
• Only going to bed when tired
• Only using the bedroom for sleep, sex, or getting dressed
• Keeping the temperature comfortable
• Making sure the room is dark
• Keeping it quiet
• Trying to relax and unwind.
On sleep, the NHS says: “Healthy sleep is important for physical and mental health.
“If you struggle to fall asleep, fail to sleep through the night, or feel tired throughout the day, this may be a sign of poor sleep hygiene.”
As well as this list of tips, the NHS also has a programme known as "Sleepstation".
Sleepstation is a six-week course run by the NHS for those struggling with sleep.
The NHS adds: “The course is tailored to your needs, using the information you provide.
“It is free to access in England through GP referral.”
As a result, if sleep is proving an issue, there are routes available for those struggling to help improve their rest.