Turning your home into your sanctuary is an essential part of your wellness journey. There are tons of small things you can do to improve the wellness your home can provide you – so I thought I would share some of them in a blog post for you.
Think About Lighting
Lighting is really important when you are thinking about wellness at home. It’s small things that can make all the difference in the feeling of your home and the effects it has on your mindset.
When it is time to relax and unwind, bright lights and blue lights can be your worst enemy. Try turning off any big, bright overhead lights and use low-light lamps or candles instead. This is an easy way to make your home feel more cozy and add to your relaxation.
If it’s sunny outside, try opening your curtains and relying on natural light rather than using your overhead light. You’d be surprised how much natural light can boost your energy and your mood.
There are also bulbs and stand alone lighting units that use full spetrum lighting to help us get more “natural” light (similar to the sun), thus improving mood, mindset and overall health. These are not too expensive and can make big difference in your office or home, especially during the winter or those rainy, grey days.
Air Quality Improvement
What does improving air quality mean? Well, air filtration and airflow are big topics when it comes to at-home wellness. Indoor air pollution can be way worse than outside if your living space doesn’t have the proper airflow. Making sure your house has proper ventilation is so important for your health, especially during cold and flu season.
If you are lucky enough to live in a climate where it is easy to open the windows, crank the fans and let the air flow through, do that as often as possible. And if you are not able to do this consitently, it is still a good idea to do on occassion, even if it means you are cold or hot for a bit following.
For times when that is not possible, there are a lot of different air filters on the market, so I encourage you to do your research and find what works best for you. Whether you have allergies, pets, or use air fresheners can all play a role in which filter you decide to use.
Of course, it is also important that you change heating and air unit filters regularly – and make sure those are good quality filters. That being said, even just cracking a window whenever you can can do wonders. Again, nothing beats fresh air.
One last thing on air, depending on your living situation, time of year and location – a humidifier or a dehumidifier might also be what you need.
Clean Water
Hydration is key for health and it is estimated that 75% of Americans are dehydrated. This poses a huge health concern for 3 out of 4 people.
Water cleanses and hydrates, as well as delivers key trace minerals to the body. We all likely need to drink more water, but just as importantly, we need to drink clean water so it is not adding toxins in the process. This holds true for the water we bathe in as well. Our skin is the largest organ on our body and there is no filtration in place for the skin. The water we bathe in, the products we apply to our skin and the chemicals in clothing are all contributing factors to our health.
Most homes in America are fed water by their city system and some by wells. Wells are susceptible to contamination from the ground and city water by too many factors to list. We can protect ourselves and our health by putting our water through a filtration system in our homes. A whole house filtration system is important for drinking purposes, but equally important for bathing/shower water as well.
Whole-house reverse osmosis systems or other charcoal filtration systems are wonderful because they filter all the water that is used in our homes. However, if those are too expensive, you can simply buy a filtration pitcher for drinking water and a shower head filter for your shower.
Stimulate Your Senses
Turn your home into a place of refuge for your senses. One great thing you can do to improve this is to get an essential oils diffuser and learn what scents benefit your wants and needs. Looking for some ideas of what to try? Lavender oil can help with stress and sleep, peppermint oil can help with headaches and inflammation, and lemon oil can help with anxiety and depression.
However, it is important to be careful of chemical packed air fresheners. While it might seem that these products make your house smell nice, the chemicals in air fresheners (including the plug-in air fresheners) can wreak havoc on your health, mainly because they are endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Using essentials oils and diffusers, while it take a bit more work, will increase your and your family’s wellbeing, without compromising your endocrine system or endocine health.
Make sure you always have teas or other relaxing drinks you like on hand. Teas like chamomile can help to calm you and also aid your sleep. Other teas, like ginger tea can help with feelings of nausea and inflammation. There are tons of teas and drinks out there to help with different issues that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
Find Your Nook
Create a space for yourself that you use only for relaxing and self-care activities, especially if you live with other people. Buy a nice chair and set it in a corner near your window and make that a place you go to for reading, journaling, or any other wellness activity you enjoy like meditating or moon rituals.
It’s important to have spaces of our own associated with certain needs, places that are free of distractions and outside stress. This is exactly why some people and cultures create alters. It becomes a sacred area and can bring us somewhere emotionally.
Keeping that space clean is also vital to making it a proper space for relaxation. Mess brings anxiety and you want to steer your space away from that.
The most important part of this is making yourself a place that feels separate from work and sleep, especially if you work from home.
Bring Nature Into Your Home
If you have a green thumb (or even if you don’t) try to bring some nature into your home. You can get all sorts of houseplants at all sorts of price ranges and care commitments. From getting plants at the grocery store to going to a greenhouse or specialty store, there’s something for everyone. Indoor plants help you feel more connected to nature which is known to reduce anxiety and boost your energy. Plants also go hand in hand with air quality.
If you’re not up for a huge commitment or are forgetful about watering your plants, then succulents are your saviour. Try a small one, such as a cactus. It’s a great place to start.
There are so many small things you can do to affect the wellness your own home brings you. Give a few of these things a try and see what happens!
