How Interior’s Can Affect Your Mental Health

Today has been named ‘Blue Monday’ aka the most depressing day of the year. I find January as a whole a bit of a struggle…it’s cold, wet & dark but we’re all out of the Christmas bubble & instead feeling poor. Everyones either on a health kick, doing dry January or some other regime so we all naturally become hermits which is why our homes can really play a part in how we feel.

Your home is the one place in the world that you should feel safe & secure; it’s the place we spend the majority of our day. As someone who has previously suffered with anxiety as well as personally knowing many loved ones that suffer with mental health problems I thought I’d post about what you can do to let your home help you.

Our choices of our surroundings are so important when it comes to the way we feel & our mental health.

Here are 5 ways in which interiors can affect your mental health –

1. Paint colour choices –

Colours affect our brains in different ways so it’s really important to take that into consideration when picking point colours for our homes. According to psychologists, looking at certain colours can swiftly alter our mood & the way we feel so go for something that makes us feel upbeat & happy. Have a little read of my paint colour psychology post from last year here for my recommended tones.

2. Organisation –

‘Tidy home = tidy mind’ is a popular expression which I couldn’t agree with more. A well organised interior makes it’s occupants feel more productive & leads it’s way to a more organised life in general. Simple things such as making your bed every morning sets the day up in the right way & you’ll find yourself being more neat from the get-go.

3. Natural light –

The amount of natural light plays a huge part in our mental health. So much so that countries within the polar circle have a much higher suicide rate than the rest of the world, probably because of the fact that they are in darkness half of the year. Humans naturally crave natural light so spread those curtains & open those windows.

Many people suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) whereby they feel down over the winter months due to a lack of sunlight & low serotonin levels. This can be helped by a lamp which tricks our bodies into thinking we’re getting some natural light.

4. Sense of ‘home’ & personal space –

A house should feel like home & be a place that you can feel relaxed & yourself. A place to unwind after a long day at work. It’s important to have an area which makes you instantly unwind as well as investing in some quality ‘me’ time.

5. Sleep –

One of the most important issues is getting your full 8 hours of quality sleep; although this is easier said than done with a young family sometimes! Invest in a decent mattress as well as fresh bedding. Make sure that your bedroom is a calm oasis with no clutter, organised wardrobes & peaceful colours.

Love,