Your environment plays a crucial role in your overall well-being at every age. However, as you get older, that role becomes even more important. Where you live can make a big difference in how you feel.
But, how do you know if your current home environment is affecting your well-being? There are some signs to look out for and some red flags to keep in mind. The more you recognize and understand these signs, the easier it will be to make positive changes that not only address the issues but can improve your mental and physical health.
With that in mind, let’s dive deeper into some possible signs that your home environment is negatively affecting you and what you can do about it to turn your home into a safe sanctuary for wellness.
Guest post by Katie Brenneman.
How to Know if Your Home is to Blame
As the old saying goes, home is where the heart is. But, if your home is doing more harm than good, you might feel disconnected or even uncomfortable in your living space. Having a home that exudes positivity and peace doesn’t require you to have a big or expensive house. It doesn’t mean you need the finest furniture or even that everything needs to be brand new.
Rather, it should be a reflection of your personality while promoting wellness in every room. Consider how you feel when you’re supposed to be relaxing at home. Do you actually feel relaxed, or are you on edge? Do you deal with constant stress? Is something eating at you but you aren’t exactly sure what?
Things like clutter, cleanliness, and even decor can impact the way you feel. If your home is dark and doesn’t let in a lot of natural light, it could increase your risk of depression. If it’s disorganized and messy, it could increase your stress levels. Exposure to germs, bacteria, or environmental hazards like mold in your home can trigger a variety of health issues. These may include flu-like symptoms, persistent inflammation, brain fog, or respiratory problems. Over time, these contaminants can exacerbate allergies, weaken the immune system, and contribute to chronic health conditions.
Keeping your living space clean and free from such pollutants is crucial for maintaining both physical and mental well-being. In the short term, consider taking steps to reduce any inflammation in your body, such as exercising, changing up your diet, taking anti-inflammatory vitamins, practicing mindfulness, and introducing other health-promoting activities to your routine. Cleaning your home won’t be easy, so you’ll need to be feeling your best to do it right.
Clean and Mindful
To ensure your home isn’t making you sick, maintaining cleanliness, and involving your kids in chores can go a long way. Here’s how you can keep things organized while teaching responsibility:
Daily Cleaning Tips:
- Minimize allergens and germs: Regularly vacuum carpets, mop floors, and dust surfaces to reduce exposure to dust mites, pet dander, and mold.
- Clean high-touch areas: Disinfect light switches, door handles, and kitchen surfaces to prevent the spread of germs.
- Declutter regularly: A tidy space makes cleaning more effective and reduces the accumulation of dust and bacteria.
Engage your kids in daily chores to make maintaining a clean home a team effort. Tasks like vacuuming, wiping surfaces, emptying the trash, or even helping with laundry are age-appropriate and help kids learn responsibility. them part of a structured routine, such as tidying their rooms after school or helping with dinner cleanup. Using a chore chart can visually organize tasks and help everyone stay accountable. Consider small rewards like picking the family movie or earning extra screen time. Involving kids in decision-making about their chores and tying them to a family routine makes the process smoother and more engaging.
Declutter and Organize
We touched earlier on the problems with a cluttered home. Consider the connection between your mind and your living space. If your home is cluttered and disorganized, your brain likely feels overwhelmed with clutter, too.
Not only can clutter cause extra stress, but it could be affecting your sleep. If your bedroom is messy and chaotic, you’re likely going to have a hard time getting the rest you deserve each night. Paying attention to your sleep environment is so important, especially as you get older. If you’re not getting enough sleep each night, you could start to experience things like:
- Dry mouth
- Sore throat
- Sore teeth
- Breakouts
- Cravings
- Difficulty concentrating
Not getting enough sleep can also cause excess stress or anxiety. Unfortunately, that creates a vicious cycle. The more anxious you are, the less sleep you’ll get.
If you’re not sure where to get started when it comes to decluttering, do one room at a time. Create piles or boxes and label each one. Purge things you never use or know you don’t want anymore. You can sell or donate them so they’ll get a second life. Some things, though, will end up in the trash — and that’s okay! Letting go of things you no longer want or need can be very rejuvenating, and can also help with your stress levels.
Bring Nature Indoors
There’s no question that nature is an ultimate healer and can help you age well. It can improve your mood, provide more energy, and reduce stress. While you might not be able to spend every waking moment outside, there’s no reason why you can’t bring nature into your home to boost your well-being.
Consider implementing a biophilic design into your living space. A biophilic home design focuses on connecting with nature. By putting it into practice, you can improve the air quality of your home and help those with respiratory issues breathe easily. It can also reduce allergens, boost your mood, potentially lower your blood pressure, and enhance your mental well-being.
Depending on the elements you include, this design practice can also help to reduce utility bills and save you money — something to think about if you’re planning on saving for retirement in the next ten to twenty years!
Something as simple as bringing in houseplants can make a difference in your home environment. Other ways to incorporate biophilic design include adding art pieces depicting nature, adding more light, and incorporating natural materials into your home decor.
Your home should be a safe space, but it should also be the place you come to feel most like yourself. If your current home environment is negatively impacting your well-being, it’s time to make changes that fit your needs and wants. Consider some of these suggestions to improve your environment, and you’ll be able to age in place with happiness and health.
markmunroe
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