Want to Get a Good Night's Sleep? Don't Paint Your Bedroom Beige

In the design world, the color beige is about as basic as it gets. The ubiquitous neutral is a go-to hue for many homeowners in the living room and beyond—and for good reason. It pairs well with just about any color and style, and can transition with the trends through multiple generations.

But while beige may have a reputation as a use-it-anywhere hue, a new study suggests there’s one room in the home where you might want to reconsider. According to Sleep Junkie, a website designed to deliver tips and data to support a better night’s sleep, beige in the bedroom might not be as soothing a hue as it’s painted out to be.

The site recently surveyed more than 1,000 homeowners on their sleep habits and bedroom aesthetics, which included everything from furniture layouts to paint colors. Through their research, they found that people with bedroom walls painted certain colors reported better sleep, on average, than those with walls splashed in other hues.

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Beige, while a universally appealing bedroom shade thanks to its versatility (it was the second most likely wall color for respondents), was surprisingly associated with some of the poorest sleepers. Of those who catch their Z’s surrounded by the popular neutral, nearly a third reported not sleeping well (the same went for beige’s close cousin, brown).

So what bedroom shades do promote better sleep? According to this data, snooze-worthy hues are more likely to fall along the ROYGBIV scale, with the most well-rested respondents sporting bedrooms in blue and purple. If you pay attention to color psychology, this actually makes perfect sense. Because of its connection to nature, blue evokes feelings of calmness and serenity. It also bring to mind stability and order, both reassuring qualities that can help banish pre-bedtime stress. Purple, meanwhile, is often associated with wealth, wisdom, creativity, and magic, which can make for some dynamite end-of-day inspiration (and perhaps some pretty interesting dreams).

But while color is an important factor in creating a restful atmosphere, it’s not the only bedroom characteristic that can contribute to better sleep. Those who make the bed every morning, for instance, are more likely to sleep better that night. Bedroom cleanliness is also an important factor, with nearly three-quarters of tidy warriors typically sleeping well (in contrast, just 50 percent of those with messy bedrooms report the same).

Ready to revamp your room in the name of better sleep? Check out 33 of our favorite blue bedrooms as inspiration.