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How to Create a Relaxing Home Environment for You and Your Loved Ones 

May 3, 2023

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Creating a relaxing home environment might seem difficult. However, it only really requires a few minor adjustments to your house. To help you, we compiled a whole list of daily practices you can do to help your home feel like a place of relaxation. We even included a few personal tips you can use that’ll help you unwind. 

  1. Create a Space/Room Dedicated to Relaxation 

You should have a space or, better yet, a whole room utterly devoted to relaxation. For most people, this is half of a room dedicated to meditation, yoga, reading, or lying down. This part of your house shouldn’t be committed to anything else except for relaxation. 

  1. Bring a Bit of Nature into Your House 

It’s always good to incorporate a bit of nature into your home. And, of course, there are a lot of benefits to it as well. House plants have been proven to not only lower stress levels but also hold the ability to humidify the air you breathe in your home every day. Some house plants can even filter your house’s air. Just be sure to take care of your house plant. Let it get enough sunlight and give it plenty of water. 

  1. Get a Little organized. 

It might sound contradictory, yet keeping things organized in your home helps you destress. A fair bit of research has displayed results linking an organized environment to reduced stress levels. And there’s a fairly simple way to do this. Create a list of daily tasks you have to complete around the house. These tasks, such as washing dishes or vacuuming a room, can be reasonably easy. And once you check off each one, you’ll be done. Everything will feel a lot nicer, and your mood might even improve. There’s perhaps a sense of accomplishment that you were able to complete so much in the time you did. 

  1. Lower the Lights 

If you have overbearing lights that irritate your eyes, you won’t be in any mood to relax. That doesn’t exactly mean you have to be in the dark, either, especially when you’re cooking. Instead, be strategic with your lighting. Use bright lights when you cook. Use dim lights when you’re in your living room or meditating. These methods will get you in the right headspace to complete your daily tasks or to enjoy your calm time. 

  1. Every Item Needs a Home 

Every item you use should have a home, whether in a drawer or on a shelf. It should be a rule in your house that if you use an item (whether it’s a spreading knife or a stapler) could go back to where it is supposed to be. Doing so will keep your home organized and less messy, which is shown to improve mood. 

  1. Embrace the Extra Space in Your House

Don’t feel the need to fill in the extra space in your house just because it’s there. That will make your home fill more closed if every corner has a piece of furniture holding various items on it. You could easily make a big home feel small if you buy too much furniture. Instead, be tactful. Only fill that extra space in your home if there’s something you really want to utilize it for.  Otherwise, embrace the extra space you have. 

  1. Encourage Children to Play Outdoors

If you have children, it can be a tad bit more challenging for you to make a relaxing home environment. After all, children have a lot of energy and need to expend it somehow. It’s why you should encourage them to expend their energy outdoors. Here in the CSRA, it rarely gets too cold to play outside. And looking after your kids while they play in your backyard will also help you bask in the sunlight more often. 

Personal Tips You Can Use to Relax Better 

  1. Sleep More 

As an adult, it’s vital to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Anything less will result in sleep deprivation which will cause your stress levels to rise, not to mention result in fatigue and difficulties in concentration. Get your seven hours (ideally, eight) in and rest as much as possible. 

  1. Take Naps (But Not Too Close to Your Bedtime) 

Take one or two 20-30 minute power naps occasionally. Studies have shown that people who nap tend to be a lot more creative, have reduced stress levels, and show increased alertness. 

  1. Have a Routine 

It’s good to have a routine, especially during the evening hours. Because once you go by a routine so often, your body will start adjusting to your habits. That is why so many of us get tired by the time we’re usually in bed. Therefore, build your routine. Let your body adjust and know what time. 

  1. Exercise Ten Minutes a Day 

When we say exercise, we don’t necessarily mean get up and go to the gym. A light jog or walk around the neighborhood will be enough to help you burn off a couple of calories and helps put your body to work. A lot of research highlights that exercise decreases the chances of sleep problems. However, you don’t want to work out right after bed. Instead, take your walk about three hours before you sleep. 

  1. Avoid Stimulants in the Evening

After 5 pm, you should put off ordering another latte or making another cup of coffee. Scientific studies encourage people to stop drinking highly caffeinated beverages like Monster, Bang, etc., after 2 pm. It’s also highly advised not to use nicotine after 5 pm. These stimulants will affect your sleep time, negatively affecting your mood and stress levels. Therefore, to get the best quality sleep, reduce your nicotine and caffeine intake in the evenings. 

Don’t Stress About the Mess

What should be one of your biggest takeaways from this is that relaxation steams from both your state of mind and the state of your surroundings. Even a Buddhist monk would have difficulty relaxing if there was a lot of disturbance and clutter in his residence. However, it’s also important to note that trying too hard to keep an organized environment can also lead to stress. It’s essential that you find that balanced middle. Find that state of mind where you have enough self-discipline to keep your area organized but not get annoyed or enraged when it isn’t the way you want to look.