With so much time spent at home and indoors in the last few years, so many people have focused on making their homes physically healthy, focusing on air quality and other aspects. However, a healthy home should focus just as much on mental health. Promoting mental health also brings a myriad of physical health benefits, so it’s a win-win.
But with so many external sources of stress, our homes should be a place where we can relax on a recliner, unwind and recharge. Fortunately, there are many ways to accomplish this. Here, we provide a list of some of the best ways to promote a healthy and stress-free home.
Bring in the Light
Natural light has a host of benefits to our health. Exposure to sunlight boosts vitamin D in our bodies, which prevents bone loss and reduces the risk of various cancers, heart disease and weight gain. And it doesn’t matter if you get sun in nature or through a window. Natural light also keeps seasonal depression at bay and helps improve sleep.
Finding ways to bring more light into your house can be hugely beneficial. If you have curtains or furniture that is nearby windows and doors and blocking out the light they provide, consider rearranging your decor and removing window treatments. You can also use mirrors to help amplify the amount of natural light that enters through your windows and bounce in around a room.
Reduce Clutter
Aside from being visually unappealing, physical clutter takes a significant toll on mental health. Dishes piled in the sink, toys and clothes scattered around, papers piling up, even just too much furniture or decor – all of these things can be stressful to the senses, and be visual reminders of what needs to be done, making it difficult to unwind and relax.
By intentionally going around your home and decluttering, removing objects that aren’t serving a purpose, you can free up space in your mind for more important things.
Add Life
Regular access to nature and green spaces has been proven to reduce stress, improve mood and enhance cognitive skills. But with many people living in cities and busy workdays, it can be difficult to get a daily dose of nature. One way to get a daily boost from nature is to bring plants into your home.
Spending time interacting with houseplants by pruning, touching and smelling them has been shown to have similar benefits to spending time outdoors in a forest.
Plants can help to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, boost your creativity and make you more productive. They can also help with concentration and memory and boost air quality in your home.
Do yourself a favor and get more natural light into your house, reduce your clutter and bring plants into your home. Doing these things will bring many benefits to your mental health and allow you to peacefully enjoy the time spent at home.
