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9 Home Improvements To Live A Healthier Life At Home

It’s no secret that our lives have become busier than ever before.

While over the past few years it may have become the norm to spend more time at the office or running errands than we actually did in our own homes, in light of the recent coronavirus pandemic, this way of life has been completely turned this on its head.

As such, many of us are now spending the majority of our days at home, gradually becoming more and more aware of the impact our domestic environments have on our health. So, with this in mind, is there anything you can do to change your surroundings to suit your wellbeing needs?

We’re here to tell you that yes, there is. Join us as we discuss exactly how.

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1. Get Clean

While hearing the old adage ‘cleanliness is next to godliness’ may bring back memories of our mothers telling our eye-rolling teenage selves to tidy up, there could actually be some merit to it.

Cleaning is not only an easy way to ensure that you limit the number of germs in your surroundings – something especially important in the current climate – but using appropriate cleaning products has also been shown to keep unwanted pests away.

What’s more, the phrase ‘tidy house, tidy mind’ stands up too, since living in a clean and tidy environment can significantly help from a mental health perspective.

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2. Look At Your Furniture

Furniture is expensive and, for most of us, getting by with what we have is a reality. However, despite the high costs involved, the state of your furniture could actually be harming your health.

The biggest culprits for this are old mattresses. After excessive use, older mattresses often become overly soft, leading to poor sleep posture and undue pressure being placed on certain joints in the body.

On top of this, unsupportive mattresses can lead to a poorer level of sleep quality, which has a knock-on effect on a whole host of other health issues, such as blood pressure, critical thinking, and weight management.

Therefore, next time you’re looking to buy furniture, don’t forget to think about the ergonomics and the effects they could have on your overall wellness.

3. Make It Social

Social interaction is crucial to our emotional health. As such, reorganizing your home to make a space suitable for socializing might just provide a huge boost to your mental wellbeing.

A 75-year long study from Harvard University has shown that the key to human happiness is forming bonds with friends and family, so creating social spaces at home could be a way to make this much easier.

Be careful not to overdo it, though, as too much social space could encourage arguments and confrontation. Finding a good balance between social and solitary areas is generally the ideal way to go.

4. Think About Your Breathing

For some, respiratory conditions are a fact of life. Not only are issues like asthma fairly commonplace these days, but living with allergies is also a harsh reality for many. The good news though is that there are plenty of simple solutions to improve breathing around the home.

If you live in a dry environment or use the A/C a lot, for example, it may be wise to look at purchasing a humidifier, as dryness can often cause coughing and inflammation of the throat.

Conversely, cold and damp environments can cause an array of serious health problems. In this case, you may wish to invest in a dehumidifier or a salt lamp – an aesthetically pleasing way to potentially help breathe easier.

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5. Get Moving

If you have space, creating a home gym is one of the best ways to improve your wellbeing without leaving the house.

The benefits of exercise are well documented, after all, but — let’s be honest here — when you’ve had a long day at the office, the motivation to go to the gym often flies out the window,  and, before you know it, you’re sitting on the couch with a takeout in hand.

Having access to gym equipment at home will therefore not only increase the convenience factor, but it will also increase the likelihood that you’ll exercise and gain all of the associated health benefits that go with it.

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6. Lighting Makes A Difference

Did you know that making adjustments to the lighting in your home could change the entire mood of a room?

Countless studies have shown that natural daylight is near essential to human survival and maximizing its impact in your home is important, but creating ambiance with lighting products can support improved mental health, too.

For example, using lamps to create a cozy mood in a bedroom could relax you and help you prepare for sleep.

7. Consider A Water Filter

We can no longer deny the need to ditch bottled water. With evidence suggesting that microplastics could end up in our food, most of us are breaking the bottled water habit in favor of filling reusable containers from the faucet.

However, while some local water companies filter their water, water supplies can still contain undesirable materials and bacteria like lead, pesticides, and E. Coli.

Therefore, attaching a water filter to your faucet or having a filtering water pitcher could remove these contaminants, allowing you to drink the good stuff while still doing your bit to protect the planet.

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8. Bring Nature Inside

There are huge health positives to spending time in nature, with exposure to green space said to decrease stress levels and even reduce the odds of premature death. Unfortunately, however, this can be difficult for some to do, with limited access to parks or gardens.

Buying houseplants is a simple way around this though, helping city and apartment dwellers receive the benefits of being outdoors without needing to take long journeys out into the country.

Creating a small indoor garden could not help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of type II diabetes but research has even found it can help women through pregnancy. Talk about a win-win.

9. Break Out The Paint

Consciously or unconsciously, color psychology is all around us whether we like it or not.

Brands use it all the time to influence our moods and feelings about their products, so why not use it to your advantage as well? By choosing to paint a room in a particular color, this could help get you in the right mental space.

If you’d like to create a lively, happy, and upbeat kitchen, for example, painting the walls and cabinets yellow can subconsciously associate your mood with a feeling of joy. Meanwhile, blues and greens are ideal choices for a bedroom since our minds perceive them as natural and relaxing.

Experimenting with paint is a great way to show off your personality around your home, while also creating a space tailored precisely to your mental wellbeing.

Final Thoughts…

Although the nature of modern life is changing, that’s no reason to let it negatively affect our health.

By investing in a few some small improvements around the home, this could not only help create a healthier life and atmosphere for you and your loved ones to live in, but it could also give you pride of place – something which is especially important within the current climate.

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