They say living well extends beyond a healthy diet and regular exercise. In the case of living, our homes should be a place that allows us to unwind yet give us the motivation and strength to feel energized.
The space in which we live greatly influences our physical and mental well-being. Especially after going through rounds of lockdown from the Covid-19 pandemic, we learned that a home is more than just a roof over our heads.
As we spend more and more time at home, it makes sense to explore the relationship between our living environment and our well-being. Whether you are living in a landed property, an HDB flat, or a private condominium unit, there are always ways to inject wellness into your living spaces.
The following are tips on customizing or revamping your home to ensure your living space radiates positive and radiant energy.
1. Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
Now that we know how important circulation and a good system of air quality is after the bouts of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is essential to ensure a well-ventilated space at home. Especially when we are spending so much of our time and since it is our living space.
As most of us tend to spend a large amount of time in our enclosed space at home, indoor air quality is an important consideration. To improve this aspect, consider practising opening up the windows at home and invest in good quality air filters.
There are so many brands and model on the market right now, and it would not hurt to invest in a decent one for the well-being of yourself and your family. Choices range from portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaner, air conditioners and air filters to air purifiers.
As inhalation of pollutants over a period of time can negatively impact our health and bring about potential respiratory problems ranging from asthma to the irritation of the airways – it is crucial to invest in a good device to bring about good air flow and circulation at home.
2. Optimise the Use of Lighting and Natural Light in Your Home
Lighting is a crucial part in creating ambience and affecting the atmosphere of our home – which in turn promotes or stagnates our visual, mental, and biological health. If our home is well imbued with natural light and well-lit most of the time, this will invite a radiant and energising atmosphere into our home.
On the other hand, a dim or poorly lit home will make us feel dull and unmotivated – and this affects our mentality. We may feel gloomy unknowingly and our life energies will not be as exuberant.
Thus, it is important to ensure that the spaces we use most – especially our living room, dining room and social areas are well lit and provides us with enough light for optimal use of our vision to carry out our daily activities.
Additionally, lighting is also important as it directly impacts our circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock linked to our sleep-wake cycle. It works like this, during the day, exposure to daylight sends signals to the brain which activates functions in the body to increase alertness and wakefulness.
When night falls, this circadian rhythm tells the body that it is time for rest and promotes the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps to induce sleep. The Sleep Foundation notes that exposure to natural light, especially early in the day, helps to reinforce the strongest circadian cue.
A disruption to the circadian rhythm can impact mood, mental well-being, and sleep quality. Some of the ways we can ensure natural light can always enter our home is to use glass doors where budget and practicality permits.
Other ways like the use of reflective decorative are also helpful – like mirrors or a lighter interior colour to help reflect light around the house. Then in the evenings, we can turn to use dimmer lights to align our circadian rhythm and bring about an atmosphere to tell our bodies that it is time to unwind and rest.
3. Understand the Colour Palette You Want for Your Home
If anything is important in painting perceptions and energies, it is the use of colour. Colour can alter our perception of space and exude different aura and energies. Understanding how your chosen colour palette would help paint the perception of your home in your eyes is important.
Here, it is simple. Lighter shades often make the space feel brighter and larger, as light gets reflected around the room – suitable for the living room or a small room to give a sense of space.
Conversely, a room with dark-coloured walls may feel smaller, as dark colours absorb light. This may be ideal for the bedroom or the rest area to make the space feel cozier, promoting relaxation and rest. Darker walls can also be paired with lighter-coloured ceiling to give a sense of increased height.
In other cases, like decorating a workspace or study room, consider using bright colours like blue or orange. Blue gives a relaxing vibe, which may help if you are a workaholic often stressing at work. Or you may need an energetic vibe Orange provides – which helps to motivate and increase productivity. Either way, choose your colour palette wisely and accordingly and you will find holistic wellness within spaces at home.
4. Declutter Your Items and Your Home Will Invite Radiance
Everything has a home somewhere, including your belongings. All your furniture, items, tools, keepsakes and collectibles belong somewhere. So be sure to declutter your home every now and then – or ensure your home is always mess free by assigning a space for each item.
Clutter and mess induces unnecessary stress and anxiety, and may even impede movement around the house. A cluttered living environment is known to create frustration and dissatisfaction.
So a quick fix is all you need to bring wellness into your home. Declutter your items, ensure that things are properly kept and everything is where they belong. If you have done a whole sweep of the house and started clearing up – but still find too many items laying around, this means you have too much to handle.
And now would be a good time to learn how to be a minimalist. Some items that you do not need (those you have not used or touched in over a year) may be donated or given out. This way, you will find that you have less to worry about while making space at home.
5. Create A Space for A Soothing Ambience at Home
Just like how every office has a pantry or space for its employees to relax and be quiet for a bit, you should create such a space at home. Design a corner or a space for some quiet and restful time at home – this can be a space for you to unwind and destress or to recharge and refocus.
Think of a place to perhaps read, meditate, or practice yoga. Throw in decorative items like hanging up tapestries or incorporate elements of nature like plants or even use wooden tiles to lay up a natural terrain in your space.
This helps to ease stress, relieve mental fatigue and promote calm. Like how you know you can retreat to that space of tranquillity at work, you now have that at home too.
6. Switch Up Old Furniture or Start Fresh with New Items
Look around your home. Is there anything there you wish you would be able to upgrade for better comfort and usability? If you said yes to that springy mattress or dull sofa you have been wanting to get rid of. Maybe it really is time. Time to make that switch. Upgrade to a better mattress or a more stylish sofa, or even flaunt a new set of tableware the next time you have guests over and notice how different the change would be.
More often than not, you only need to spruce things up by changing a few old things instead of replacing everything. In this case, revive your dead plants, switch to porcelain sets of plates and tea sets. Or purchase that new bedframe you have always wanted.
It will make a difference to the existing atmosphere and you might just think why you did not switch up sooner. Now with all the tips we shared, be sure to narrow a few down and start working on them if you are looking at an urgent call for wellness into your home. P.S: You might just thank us for it after this.
And alas, if you find yourself stuck in a rut even after weighing all possible options, you may need a professional’s opinion. In this case, schedule a visit with us or book a free consultation with our trusted and renowned representatives.
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