Based on the ancient oriental discipline principles of Feng Shui, a few simple changes are all that is required to transform your home into a place of wellbeing and positivity, promoting the balance between our surrounding environment and ourselves and banishing all sources of anxiety and worry.
These tips will help to free yourself from stress and improve both your physical and mental health!
1. Illuminate your environment
We all know that poorly or badly lit environments are tiring for both the eyes and mind and can lead to migraines. One of the trends in the lighting industry at the moment is daylighting, a technology capable of transporting the sun’s rays inside our homes. How is it possible? This is all possible thanks to a number of special tubular skylights that capture light from the roof and are able to transport and diffuse it into and throughout any space, thereby reducing the use of artificial light, and subsequently energy consumption, to an absolute minimum.
2. Improve the quality of your sleep
Did you know that the use of electronic appliances before bed influences the quality of your sleep? This has been proven by scientific research conducted by the University of Oxford, revealing how the electromagnetic waves emitted by TVs and computers alter the metabolism and can indeed disturb our sleep. Even the use of smartphones and tablets is not recommended before bed as the blue light emitted alters the production of sleep hormone melatonin.
3. Opt for eco-friendly materials
To furnish your home in an eco-friendly way, the first thing to do is choose furnishings made from ecological materials. In need of some inspiration? Wood, stone and marble, in addition to being entirely non-toxic, are the ideal solution for urban-style enthusiasts; it is however important to check the origin of the material in question, only choosing products that come from environmentally-sustainable sources or those that are nonetheless responsibly managed. In terms of accessories, opt for natural materials such as straw, cork and bamboo, ensuring that they contain low levels of benzene, which can be harmful to our skin and respiratory tract.
4. Choose the right colours
How can we make use of colour to improve our everyday wellbeing? By following the principles of chromotherapy! The energetic properties of yellow and red are ideal when used to paint the walls of environments such as the kitchen or living room, while cooler and more relaxing shades are perfect for the bedroom. Green is most indicated to promote concentration and study. If you’re not ready to use colour on all the walls , focus on brightening up your environment by choosing colourful finishings and accessories.
5. Live in a clean environment
Did you know that your mattress may contain, on average, more than two million dust mites? They live in carpets, sofas, soft furnishings, pillows and beds – anywhere where there is a warm, humid environment. This can be bad news if you are allergic as they represent one of the major causes of allergies and breathing difficulties. Dedicate an hour per week to the cleaning of fabrics: UltraMATT is ideal for allergy sufferers. Thanks to the special UV-C lamp, you can sterilise mattresses, cushions, pillows and upholstery, thereby preventing dermatitis, asthma and allergy flare-ups.
6. Create your own green corner
Having plants in the home is not only a question of aesthetics! This has been proven by research conducted by NASA, demonstrating how certain types of plants in our various home environments can be beneficial to both our health and mood; all of this is possible thanks to photosynthesis, which purifies the air, emitting oxygen and absorbing polluting substances. So, which plants work best? Lavender for its calming properties, aloe for its superior air-cleansing prowess and ivy for its potent bactericidal properties.
7. Declutter
Many studies have shown that living in a tidy environment has both health and psychological benefits. The advantages are not only limited to the tidiness of our homes: decluttering also means dedicating time and space to ourselves, surrounding ourselves with objects that we appreciate and avoiding the accumulation of the unnecessary. Not sure where to begin? Find out how to effectively declutter!
