6 Ways Your Home Impacts Your Mental Health

By Ayla Anderson

Our home is one of the places that we spend the most time in; therefore, it’s no wonder we want it to be a pleasant space. However, did you know that many aspects of your home also directly affect your mental health? Here are six things in which you can see this so that you can change what’s within your power and improve your life quality.

Clutter

Some clutter is inevitable in every household as it takes a lot of effort to keep it at bay. You might think it’s harmless, however, letting it pile up can have detrimental effects on your mental well-being. Being surrounded by clutter as you go about your day raises your stress and anxiety levels without you even realizing it. All the stuff you don’t need and just keep avoiding getting rid of drains your brain and makes it difficult for you to focus. Therefore, to put it simply, decluttering your space essentially declutters your mind, too. This is especially important to keep in mind if you work from home.

Greenery

When we are decorating our living spaces, plants are usually just an afterthought that we add for aesthetic reasons. However, the truth is that greenery has an immense effect on our psyche. Not having enough contact with Mother Nature alienates us and makes it easier for us to get stressed out and feel distressed. And since the majority of people live in urban environments, it is very easy for them to lose this connection with nature and see the grave consequences of it. Even if you cannot spend extended amounts of time in green spaces, the least you can do is bring the outdoors in. This way, you will reduce the symptoms of stress and depression and improve your mood, creativity and even productivity.

Colors

The next in line of the things that influence your mental health in your home are the colors your interior is painted in. While this might seem like merely an aesthetic choice, today we know that colors have their unique effects on our mood and psyche, and the wrong color choice for a particular room can affect you negatively. For instance, warm and deep hues can make space feel cozier and more inviting. On the other hand, painting a room that doesn’t get much natural light in a cool color can make that space feel cold and unpleasant to spend time in. All in all, keep color theory in mind when painting your walls so that you can achieve the effect that you want.

Cleanliness

Just like organized spaces with no clutter are good for you, it is not surprising that cleanliness is very important for a positive environment, too. Studies have shown that a clean home is related to better health and that the act of cleaning itself is good for your mental well-being as it gives you physical exercise. However, no one can deny that keeping a house clean takes a lot of time and it can be difficult to manage if you’re working full-time and spend a lot of time commuting like many Sydneysiders do. If that is the case, it’s better to turn to professional house cleaning in Sydney instead of letting the chores pile up and getting stressed out.

Layout

In the past, houses followed a more rigid layout: all rooms were clearly defined and separated by walls and doors. However, the fact of the matter is that the layout of your home can also influence your mental well-being to a great degree and in several ways. For instance, today, open plans that allow the traffic to flow freely across the living space can be a great choice. In such a layout, you won’t feel like you’re trapped within four walls but there is more breathing space. In addition, this space allows for the household members to spend more time together and improve their relationships.

Housing conditions

Finally, there is no denying that the most detrimental factor to your mental health when it comes to housing is poor living conditions. Studies have shown time and time again that such conditions are related to higher depression rates and feelings of hostility. In addition, problems concerning the payment of rent or mortgage cause serious stress and can worsen the relationships within the household. All in all, the building itself, the level of overcrowding as well as the quality of the surrounding neighborhood affect how the residents perceive their situation.

As you can see, many factors of your living space affect your mental health. Being aware of them is the only way you can improve your situation.

About the Author:
Ayla Anderson is an avid reader and an enthusiastic blogger who writes articles on home improvement, business, Family and beauty. She is also an MBA student who spends much of her time giving advice to newly small businesses on how to grow their businesses. You can follow Ayla on Twitter.