Over the past few years there’s been an increase, long overdue it must be said, in willingness and openness to talk about mental health, and rightly so! An estimated 1 in 6 people in the UK are thought to regularly experience a common mental health condition such as anxiety or depression. Your home should be a sanctuary, a space in which you can feel completely at ease and escape from the worries of day-to-day life. There are several additions and changes that you can make to your home that are almost certain to help boost your state of mind and maintain a more positive outlook, in even the dreariest of winter months.
Aliwood are a new company specialising in bespoke roof lanterns, and the founder, Jonathan Hey, has put together this article explaining some simple changes you can make to your home that will benefit your mental wellbeing.
Roof Lanterns
Roof lanterns make fantastic additions to any home. They help bathe your living spaces in natural light which has been proven to benefit your health, both mental and physical. Increased exposure to natural light leads to your body producing more serotonin, the hormone responsible for lifting your mood. Getting lots of natural light is also known to reduce symptoms of anxiety, and help those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Aliwood’s roof lanterns not only look fantastic, they will make sure you get all the natural light you need!
House Plants
You don’t have to be an avid gardener to keep a few small houseplants around your home. Studies have shown that tending to plants has a soothing, therapeutic effect that is rivalled by very little else. With so many psychological stressors in today’s society – a society that is perpetually ‘switched on’ – the simple habit of looking after houseplants is a fantastic remedy. Not only that, but well-looked after houseplants look fantastic, and help keep the air you breathe much purer!
Open-Plan Living
If you’re able to, converting your home structurally to incorporate more open-plan living spaces is a great way of positively affecting your mental health. If open-plan living does one thing well, it’s the improvement in the flow of your home. Each component part of your property becomes infinitely more connected; becoming cogs in a larger system, rather than separate, secluded blocks. Open-plan living fosters a feeling of community and togetherness within a family. This is incredibly important in a time where we feel more and more isolated.
Pastel Colours
Painting your internal walls with calming, tranquil hues is a great way to instil a little bit of zen into your home. Your living spaces become instantly more relaxing if you use lighter shades to decorate. Striking statement walls have become all the rage over the past decade, but the big, bold colours can often become imposing and overly dark. Using pastel-coloured paints mitigates that risk!
Spring Cleaning
Thanks to self-styled home experts such as Marie Kondo, there has been a big social shift towards a less cluttered lifestyle. Whilst we’re not advocating as drastic a clear out as dear, old Marie might be (does that statement spark joy?), there’s definitely something to be said for having a clearer living space. After all, how does the old adage go? A cluttered life equals a cluttered mind? So, why not take the time to streamline your belongings, somewhat; none of us really need the vast quantities of possessions that we own, and reducing the amount of stuff we have also ties in with the increasing need to reduce the single-use, consumer culture!
If you’d like to find out more about Aliwood and our roof lanterns, then get in touch today! Call the team on 01245 967107 or visit www.aliwood.co.uk
Jonathan Hey, Aliwood’s MD.