How your home affects your wellbeing

How your home affects your wellbeing

The average person spends a lot of time thinking about their house. From maintenance and repairs to design and décor, it commands a lot of attention. But did you know that all of the different elements of your house are impacting your mental health and emotional wellbeing? Research has shown that your environment can have a strong impact on your mental health. So, it’s important to make sure your home is a place where you feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed. Here is how your home affects your wellbeing.

What’s the connection?

The human mind and body are interconnected and can be affected by many things, including the environment you live in. A peaceful and visually appealing home setting can create a greater sense of wellbeing than a cluttered, chaotic home. Even the colour of your walls and furnishings can affect your mental health. Studies have found that colour can affect a person’s mood, behaviour, and even cognitive function.

How your home affects your wellbeing

Housing situation

First and perhaps most importantly, your housing situation has a significant impact on your overall emotional wellbeing. There’s a strong correlation between poor rental housing and adverse mental health conditions like depression. Specifically, poor housing conditions can lead to depression and hostility among residents, while perceived overcrowding has similar effects. Additionally, neighbourhood disarray – which includes vacant lots, dilapidated housing, vandalism, trash, etc. also contributes to feelings of hostility. On the other hand, those in great neighbourhoods feel more cohesion, satisfaction, stability, and a willingness to help others.

Clutter and disorganisation

Inside the home, clutter and disorganisation can have a significant impact on how you feel. In other words, clutter is a huge issue and it’s not good for mental health. Clutter is often a key source of stress. Whether you realise it or not, it’s mentally exhausting to account for all of these items and deal with the baggage they bring to the table. Reducing the amount of clutter that’s present and developing a system for organising the items that you have. That way you can gain the upper hand and enjoy a greater sense of peace and stability.

Colour

There’s ample evidence to suggest that the colours we’re exposed to daily affect our mood, behaviour, and stress levels. This is true regardless of the setting, but the relationship between colour and emotional wellbeing is magnified in the home. By choosing paint colours strategically – particularly in key rooms like the bedroom and kitchen – you can enjoy greater happiness, satisfaction, and productivity.

Layout and architecture

Over time, architecture, floor plans, and home layouts have evolved. Homes used to be very rigid and segmented. Walls and doors set each room apart from the rest of the home. In today’s world of architecture and design, this is no longer the case. Research has discovered that unrestricted spaces and open concepts are beneficial to mental health and allow the mind to create multiple perspectives about the surrounding environment. It may even strengthen cognitive abilities.

Natural environment and lighting

There’s also something to be said for having a view. There’s a strong connection between green spaces, blue spaces (water), and lower psychological distress. Having access to these views provides a sense of calmness and has a way of centring the soul. Moreover, opening the windows and letting in fresh air may improve your energy levels.

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