Most of the conversations around ergonomics today are limited to workplace ergonomics. While workplace ergonomics are definitely important considering that people spend most of their day in their offices, you can't overlook the importance of ergonomics at home, especially in your bedroom.
Ergonomics is the science of making an environment safe, functional, and comfortable for people in it. Your bedroom is where you unwind at the end of the day, and if it's not safe and comfortable for you, you aren't using your personal space in the best way.
Making your bedroom ergonomic will not only ensure its maximum functionality, but it'll also ensure maximum comfort for you.
This blog post will talk about bedroom ergonomics in detail and help you improve your bedroom's ergonomics so that you can enjoy your bedroom to the fullest in every sense.
What Do Bedroom Ergonomics Mean?
Bedroom ergonomics is simply planning the layout of your bedroom, arranging the furniture, and installing the right lighting to make the bedroom functional and absolutely comfortable. An ergonomic bedroom is one that meets the comfort needs of the user, meets their requirements, prevents any unnecessary body movements, and doesn't pose any safety risks. Designing an ergonomic bedroom isn't as straightforward as investing in a comfortable bed. It's a lot more than just that!
Essential Elements of an Ergonomic Bedroom
When we say designing an ergonomic bedroom isn't the most straightforward thing, we've got some very good reasons for it. You need to incorporate numerous elements into your bedroom to make it ergonomic.
We've listed the essential elements of an ergonomic bedroom below. If you can get these elements right, you can achieve a next-level functional and comfortable bedroom!
The Layout of the Bedroom
The layout is the first and most important element of an ergonomic bedroom. The layout covers what furniture you place, how you place it, and how comfortable and convenient it is to move around your bedroom.
Start with evaluating what you need in your bedroom, apart from the bed, of course. Ideally, you should try to keep the furniture to a minimum, especially if your bedroom is small in size. Use fewer pieces of furniture so that your room doesn't look too congested. Make sure your dressers aren't too bulky and you've got lots of smart storage, like shelves, so you can enjoy lots of free floor space.
If you plan to use your bedroom for work, you should design your bedroom layout such that you've got enough room for a workstation in your bedroom. Knowing what you'll need your bedroom for other than sleeping will make it easier for you to plan the layout.
Coming to the bed's position, ideally, your bed should be on the wall opposite the door. You can also opt to place your bed on the largest available wall in the room with no windows. After your bed is in place, start arranging larger pieces of furniture like the dresser and then move to smaller ones like shelves. The dresser is usually placed on the wall opposite the bed, and the side tables, as the name suggests, are on the bed's sides. Also, you've got to ensure that you leave at least 30% of the space in your bedroom for walking. The Golden Ratio for bedroom design is 60% furniture, 10% accessories, and 30% walking space.
If you want a study table or work desk in your bedroom, it's best if you combine the study or work desk with the wardrobe and arrange it as a single unit. This will make your bedroom look more organized. One important thing to remember here is that there should be about 5 feet distance in front of the study or work table so that there's enough space for someone to walk across from behind while you're sitting and working. If you don't have sufficient clearance in front of the table, keeping a table in your bedroom is probably not the best idea.
Position of the TV
If like most people, you plan to have a TV in your bedroom, it's critically important to position it correctly. When designing an ergonomic bedroom, you simply can’t put your TV anywhere. The ideal height for the TV in the bedroom would be different from the ideal height for the TV in the living room. It should be about 30 to 34 inches from the floor. You'll most probably watch the TV lying down on the bed in your bedroom. You should mount your TV a little over your line of sight. It should be mounted on the wall directly opposite your bed so that you don't have to tilt your head or turn your neck to view it. If your TV isn't in front of you and is mounted too high or too low, you'll have to raise or bend your neck and tilt your head to get a good view, resulting in neck pain and even headache.
Lighting
Lighting is one of the most important elements of an ergonomic bedroom. The best type of lighting for your bedroom will be layered lighting, that's a combination of artificial and natural light. The best source of natural light is the window. Make sure the windows in your room aren't blocked by furniture. The natural light from the windows during the day will illuminate your room well enough. Natural light not just makes your room look brighter, but also enhances your mood and makes you feel good!
There should also be sufficient ambient lighting in your room to illuminate the room adequately when the sun goes down. These lights illuminate the room entirely and uniformly.
You should also include accent lighting in your bedroom. This type of lighting is used to highlight certain features of a bedroom, like artwork. It gives your bedroom an aesthetic touch and makes it feel cozier. Some examples of accent lighting are tape lighting and wall scones.
If you're an avid reader who likes to read before going to bed, you should also have task lighting in your bedroom, like a bedside lamp, so that your eyes don't get strained due to poor lighting when you read.
Height of the Bed
The height of the bed is an essential element of an ergonomic bedroom. If the bed is too high for you, you may not be able to get in or out of bed comfortably. The height of the bed is specifically important if you've got elderly people using the bed. If the bed is too high for them, they may not be able to get into or out of bed independently and may even fall.
Comfortable Headboard
Not many people give much thought to the headboard of their beds. However, you can't overlook this element when designing an ergonomic bedroom. Flat, wooden headboards can be quite uncomfortable when you're sitting upright in your bed. They don't offer your back much support. If you really want to improve the ergonomics of your bedroom, choose a bed with an upholstered headboard or a curved headboard so that your back doesn't get strained when you sit upright for a while, for example, when watching a movie.
Mattress
A bedroom's primary purpose is to provide you with a comfortable place to sleep; comfort in the bedroom primarily comes from the mattress! If your mattress isn't comfortable, you won't be able to find the perfect sleeping posture and will face trouble sleeping. A poor night's sleep will result in you feeling exhausted in the morning, and you may remain in a foul mood all day. Make sure you choose a mattress that's just right for you. A soft mattress isn't the best for everyone. For example, you'll benefit from a firmer mattress if you experience persistent back pain from sitting at work every day. Your mattress should be able to provide you with the best support and comfort so that you can sleep comfortably and wake up fresh. Look for an ergonomic mattress like the MLILY EGO Charcoal Mattress. The pillows, by the way, are also as important as the mattress. Sleeping on the wrong pillow can strain your neck!
Storage
If you don't have adequate storage in your bedroom, your room will look cluttered. Clutter is known to have a negative impact on mental health. Not only this, but if your room has too much clutter, you're at a high risk of trips and falls. What you can do to make your bedroom truly ergonomic (and safe) is to incorporate plenty of smart storage, like under-bed storage drawers. If there's a window where you can make a window seat, you can design an under-seat storage cabinet. The idea is to increase the room's storage capacity without putting in too many storage shelves that will take up the floor space and make the room look too full!
Final Word
Designing an ergonomic bedroom definitely is an overwhelming task, but if you're successful at making your bedroom truly ergonomic, you'll be able to reap the maximum benefit out of your bedroom! An ergonomic bedroom means a safer and more functional bedroom and a healthier and happier you!
