Your home is your sanctuary and should be a joyful place where memories are made and a sense of belonging is cultivated and nurtured. While the definition of “home” means different things to different people, it’s important that you ensure a happy, healthy space for yourself and your family’s health and mental wellbeing.
Nowadays, people are spending more time at home yet neglecting wise living. High traffic areas are becoming cluttered or lighting is not updated. Wellness, among other things, begins at home and is achieved through a good balance of effective design and our relationship with nature. Here are 7 simple ways you can create a happy, healthy home and life.
Tip #1: Declutter Your Space and Mind
Research has proven time and again that clutter is related to stress and may trigger avoidance and coping strategies, for instance, poor diet. Social spaces like your living room or those areas where you need to unwind and recharge your batteries should be kept neat and tidy. Equally, your workspace should also be a clutter-free, stress-free, zone. Instead of allowing temptation to get the better of you by hanging onto that old rusty lamp or leaving things in disarray, make sure you get into the habit of maximizing storage and keeping surfaces clean and furnishings fresh. Assigning designated spots means you’re less likely to spend an hour rummaging through a pile of junk later.
Tip #2: Spark Joy with Experiences and Memories
Memories make us happy due to the process of enjoyment that each experience fulfils, such as eagerly anticipating the experience, delighting in the experience, and finally remembering the experience. Create and share a gallery of memorable moments from your wedding day, to your child’s first day of school, to a fun trip you took. Or dust off your old collection of travel souvenirs and mementos and display them creatively around your home.
Tip #3: Use the Right Light
Lighting has the power to heavily affect your mood and transform a cold soulless space into a cosy and atmospheric room. Blue artificial light, that emanates from technology, stimulates our brains and is, therefore, more likely to impact our internal clocks. Introducing warm light with colour changing LED light bulbs reinforces the circadian rhythms that help to balance your sleep/wake cycles. Aim for warm white light in dining and living areas and natural white light in kitchens and bathrooms, and illuminate every corner of a room with table lamps, floor lamps, or hanging lights.
Tip #4: Nurture Nature
Harness the benefits of biophilic design by incorporating nature into your indoor spaces. From the use of wooden and other natural surfaces to the significance of a green view. Plants remove toxins from the air and can reduce physiological and psychological stress, as one study shows. Of course, you’d need hundreds of indoor plants to achieve this but there are options that carry purifying and well-being benefits, such as English Ivy, peace lilies, ferns, and, faux plants.
Tip #5: Enhance Natural Light and Air
Much like plants, natural light is inherently invigorating to your body. It reduces stress, improves general well being, and is proven to uplift your mood by increasing serotonin levels. Enhance natural light by keeping windows unobstructed and clean; placing mirrors adjacently to windows to reflect and bounce light throughout a room; opting for cream or off-white color schemes to cultivate a lighter feel.
Fresh air aids in digestion, lowers blood pressure and heart rate and strengthens the immune system. Naturally ventilate your home during the day or try a decent quality dehumidifier to purify the air.
Tip #6: Sleep Well 😴
Poor sleep has been linked to low mood, fatigue, and even shortened life expectancy in the long term which is why prioritizing your time spent in slumber is an essential step for a healthy home. Create a conducive sleep environment by using a warm low-wattage LED lamp on your bedside table; assessing the quality of your mattress every few years; incorporating natural fibres and mood-boosting colors; making the most of blackout blinds/curtains; eliminating technology as much as possible!
Tip #7 Maintain a Work-Life Balance
It can be difficult to maintain and prioritize the demands of a work-life balance at home, so designate an area that separates your 'work day' from your relaxation and social time. Where you can, consider ergonomic office equipment for greater efficiency and comfort.
A Happy Home Is a Healthy Home A happy, healthy home is built on a foundation of love, your connectedness to nature, and effective design — which not only applies to visual aesthetics but engages all other senses for an enriching experience. There are many useful tips and tricks you can try, like those mentioned above, that won’t impinge on your time and pocket, but rather encourage a positive lifestyle for you and your loved ones.
Contact us for more about our eco-friendly lighting range, which is truly “out of this world”.