8 min read
As the season changes, and we begin our spring cleaning, it's important to remember that refreshing our immediate surroundings can be a big part of our efforts toward feeling rejuvenated.
For many of us, especially in the post-pandemic world, our workplaces still exist within our homes. This can make it easy for the stress and responsibilities of work to carry over into the private space that is meant to be our escape. Your home should be your sanctuary. Licensed therapist and author of Are You Ok? A Guide To Caring For Your Mental Health, Kati Morton writes, “Our home environment plays a massive role in how we feel day-to-day;... When our space feels chaotic or uninviting, it can mirror and even amplify feelings of stress or overwhelm. Conversely, when our home feels calming and organized, it can help us feel more grounded and in control. It sets the tone for how we approach the rest of our lives.”
Your home is the most critical environment in creating and maintaining a sense of belonging, familiarity and, above all, comfort. Not only does our home reflect our personal style, but it can profoundly impact our overall well-being. How we design, organize, and personalize our living space can influence our moods, reduce stress, and promote a sense of tranquility. Toronto-based interior designer Samer Shaath of NIVEK REMAS states, “When we ensure that our home provides shelter and protection, it can also offer inspiration and play a pivotal role in our daily lives.” Each room in your house should serve a purpose and receive the same level of care and consideration that we dedicate to our mental health.
Whether you refresh this spring by sprucing up and repurposing the items already in your home or rejuvenating your space with something new, here are some perks you might want to consider!
Beautifying Your Home
Decorating your house begins with finding your aesthetic. Luckily, we live in an era where inspiration is all around us! Scrolling through the home and living magazines and curating the perfect Pinterest board are a few ways to what style resonates with you. Customizing your space to embrace your individuality and personal taste is essential to ensure you feel the most comfortable at home. A relaxing atmosphere is all about incorporating personal elements that promotes a constant feeling of coziness and warmth. Thoughtfully choosing furniture and the other elements we use to decorate our home can transform a space into a sanctuary that sparks joy, creativity and positivity. Mikaza Home, Aosom, South Shore, and QE Home are all great choices to help you find furniture that feels uniquely you. Or, if you are looking for a few new pieces to make your home feel fresh, you can find pieces from The Rug Emporium and Home Xcent or Neonific.
The Ohio Psychiatric Services lists several steps to brighten your living space and promote positive mental health. For instance, they suggest a relaxing atmosphere includes reducing noise pollution and controlling healthy lighting. Your curtains and blinds play a huge role in doing so — and utilizing companies like RYSE make it easy. Lighting in your home can also affect your mood. For example, warm lighting can make the room feel cozier and calming, while cool lighting can promote alertness and stimulate concentration. Perks from Living Lighting can help with that.
Sweet Dreams and Soft Sheets
The first and the last room that you start and finish your day in is your bedroom. It is one of the most important spaces to experience comfort in your home. According to a study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, personalization can make individuals feel more comfortable and in control of their environment. Environmental psychology suggests that our physical surroundings interplay with our emotions. With that in mind, your bedroom functions in more ways than one when it comes to supporting your mental health.
We fill our bedrooms with pictures, decor, and trinkets that remind us of the happy memories we've experienced. However, the most significant factor in our overall comfort in the bedroom is the bed itself. The average person sleeps about 2,920 hours each year, which amounts to roughly 122 days. Sleep is essential for ensuring that our brains and bodies have the energy necessary to handle daily activities. A good night’s rest reduces stress and anxiety, enhances cognitive function, and dramatically impacts our ability to process emotions, ideas, and information throughout the day.
Many perks are available now to help you get some ZZZ’s, including those from Canadian Down & Feather Company Inc., Emma Sleep, Sleep Country, Canadian Bedding, and Polysleep.
Stir, Sip, Smile
Many consider the kitchen the heart of the home, a space where families and friends come together to share memories and delicious dishes. However, with so many gathering there, mess can accumulate quickly and make us feel overwhelmed, as a cluttered space can lead to a cluttered mind.
The Ohio Psychiatric Services continues to report a 2020 study that found a correlation between untidy rooms and individuals experiencing adverse effects on their mental health. Keeping your kitchen organized is not just for aesthetic purposes; it can also serve as a means of reducing your daily stress. Whether you are someone who values efficiency for preparing easy dinners or likes to get creative with some new recipes, cooking always produces scraps and it can lead to a smelly kitchen. No one likes that! Thankfully, a great offer from Food Cycler by Food Cycle Science may ensure that never happens again!
Like any other room in your house, the major items in your kitchen sometimes need some revamping. For any appliance replacements or additions, check our perks from GE Appliance, Bosch or Samsung Appliance.
Turning Your Bathroom into a Zen Den
The spa is our go-to place when we need to feel relaxed, calm and re-centred, but how amazing would it be to have your bathroom channel a spa every day? Your morning shower is the perfect opportunity to recharge and reset as you begin your day, and you can step up your experience by using perks from Bath Depot. Step out of your shower into a warm, freshly washed towel with the help of Zippy Wash.
Take advantage of offers from I Deserve and prioritize wellness and relaxation with gift boxes filled with products from Canadian small businesses, which are perfect additions to your self-care routine. To elevate your at-home spa experience, try out aroma therapy and home care essentials from Saje Wellness. According to the American Psychiatric Association, “Odors that have positive memories and associations may also be beneficial for health and well-being. Odors evoking positive personal memories have the potential to increase positive emotions, decrease negative mood states, disrupt cravings, and reduce physiological indices of stress, including systemic markers of inflammation.”
For an added spa amenity to your at-home zen den, look at the perks from Glacier Spas.
The Cozy Cubicle
Research indicates that a personalized workspace can make individuals feel more satisfied during the workday and lead to better quality in their work performance. Productivity plays a crucial role, not only in completing tasks, but also in boosting self-esteem. Checking those tasks off your to-do list can leave you walking away from the day, feeling accomplished with yourself and your professional abilities. Therefore, ensuring your home office allows you to concentrate on your work rather than being distracted by a messy environment is crucial. The ideal home office begins with the right desk from Effy Desk and Progressive Desk.
To ensure your at-home office supports you and your overall mindfulness, you need your environment to be both functional and enjoyable. Small touches made to your home office can take you from feeling unmotivated to accomplishing those tasks. Adding picture frames, a comfy office chair, and even a plant or two can liven up the space without causing the space to feel overburdened. If you enjoy listening to music or your favourite podcast to get you in the zone, look at perks from Sonos or LG Electronics.
Enhancing your living space for comfort can positively impact mental health, but it is crucial to promote healthy mental well-being inside and outside your home. For more perks regarding mindfulness and inner wellness, check out Venngo offers from BetterHelp, Nuvista, and more!
Disclaimer:
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