Positive Mental Health Changes To Make In Your Home

ad collaborative post // Our mental health is incredibly important and something that we are now more aware of than ever before. Spending an increased amount of time inside has been difficult for a lot of people, so knowing how to make positive changes to your home to bring positive energy and comfort is key.

Photo by Raspopova Marina on Unsplash

Let in as much light as possible

Sunlight is naturally stimulating and making the most of daylight will have a positive impact, even if you don’t feel it right away. Our natural instinct is to close the curtains and hide away, but letting in lots of light will make a difference to your mood – it will also ensure that you don’t sleep too much which can also result in feeling worse.

Open curtains and blinds in every room during the day to allow as much natural light into your home as possible. It’s a small step but you’ll also start to feel more productive, stimulating your mind into a more positive place.

Dedicate time and space to being active

While it’s the last thing on our minds when we’re struggling with our mental health, getting up and being active does wonders and helps us get back on track to feeling better again. With exercise being proven to lift moods and improve symptoms of depression and anxiety, that post-glow workout feeling can go a long way to add some positivity.

Find a space in your home that you can do some exercise in – depending on your fitness level, you may want to do something every day, or a few times a week. Gardens are great for home workouts, but if you don’t have an outside space you can choose a room that’s suitable. There are lots of videos on YouTube that you can follow for guidance – yoga and meditation are great for both body and soul, and it doesn’t take long to see a change!

Clean home, clean mind

This can feel like a bit of a cliché, but it’s true – spending time cleansing your home will have a positive impact on your mind and your mental health. A lot of us are prone to falling into messy habits and not feeling up to dealing with our surroundings when we hit a low point, and that’s okay – cleaning can wait until you’re ready.

If you find it hard to keep on top of your chores, look at how you can break them down into manageable chunks over the week. Focus on small areas and tasks that you feel up to – small steps are key.

Self-care

Self-care has always been a great way of improving our mental health, so no matter what your version of it is, make sure that you factor it into your weekly schedule. For some of us, a bubble bath with some candles and a good book is the perfect option; for others, it’s a facemask and a glass of wine with a friend.

If you don’t know what self-care works best for you, try some different methods out and see which leaves you feeling the most relaxed!

Introduce scented candles or oil diffusers to your home, and test out some different essential oil scents. Lavender is incredibly calming and helps you relax – it’s also very popular for those who struggle to sleep. Basil oil is known to help muscle aches, making it a good option for those who feel sore after a long day. Add a few drops into a hot bath and let it soak away the pain; you’ll notice a lift in your mood very quickly.

Candles and wax burners are also a great choice to get super cozy and to have lit in your home. Thru Scent have some incredible scents, including coconut + citrus, vanilla + lime and much more! You can get some of the best wax melts for incredibly reasonable prices!

Make your house a home

A lot of the time, our surroundings are a big factor to the state of our mental health. Making your living space more comfortable can help you associate it as a safe place and let your mind rest – a huge weight off your shoulders if you’re struggling with your thoughts.

Look at ways to make the place more you. That can be putting pictures up on the walls to brighten it up and remind you of good memories, hang some fairy lights for a softer light in the evenings, or getting a new blanket or throw for your sofa to make it cosier. Feeling more at ease and settled in your home is a huge factor that will help you feel better, and can be done relatively easily by just picking bits up here and there that you like.

For some of us, completely refurnishing our houses just isn’t enough to make it feel homely, especially if you don’t feel safe in the neighborhood or live away from family and friends which can be incredibly isolating. In this case, starting afresh somewhere else can be the best decision for you, giving your mind the peace it needs. If you’ve been thinking about this and have been asking yourself “how can I sell my house quickly”, this is a good sign that it’s time for you to move and find somewhere else that’s going to be more suitable for you.

Looking after your mental health is very important, and once you know what works for you, it can be much easier to manage your mind and recognise when you’re falling into low moods and what to do to keep yourself safe. Take from this list what helps you, reach out to family and friends, or speak to a professional for more support. Be kind to yourself, and remember – you got this!