I love my apartment, but like anything in the world, it sometimes gets on my nerves. Most likely nothing has changed, yet sometimes the cons are more noticeable than the pros, which is probably also related to my own mood. If your space (or yourself) is feeling stagnant and needs a pick me up, here are five easy ways to inject a little happiness into your home-life.
Open The Windows
Not only does a bright, sunlit space look cheerful and inviting, day-lit spaces have also been proven to reduce stress and improve sleep by regulating our circadian rhythms. As a bonus you’ll save money on your electricity bill by turning on fewer lights during the day.
Bring The Outdoors In
The Biophilia Hypothesis is the “idea that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life”, and it is known that spending time in nature reduces stress and lowers blood-pressure. So fill your home with all kinds of life in the form of plants, flowers, a bowl of fruit, your four-legged friend, even a photo of nature will do the trick.
Embrace Your Sense of Smell
Besides smelling great, some scents have the ability to better your mood and increase your well-being. Chamomile is comforting and soothing, and helps relieve stress, eucalyptus and peppermint are energizing, lavender reduces anxiety, and lemon is uplifting. To reap the benefits of aromatherapy light a candle made with essential oils, create a room spray by mixing 10-15 drops of essential oil per ounce of water in a spray bottle, or fill a diffuser with your favorite scent.
Remember The Good Times
Research suggests that reflecting on fond memories can calm our nerves, and improve happiness. Fill your home with photos and mementos so you can be reminded of the joyful memories you associate with them.
Rearrange
So I’ve always been interested in Feng Shui but never really had a first-hand understanding of its benefits until we did a little rearranging recently. We sleep with our bedroom door open (because apparently the bodyheat of two adults and one dog sleeping is too much for our tiny bedroom to handle, especially in the summer) and for the past two years when I laid in bed I had a perfect view of our sliding glass door in the living room. I can’t even count how many times I’ve woken up in the middle of the night panicked because I dreamt someone was trying to get in through that door. So a few weeks ago we moved our bedroom furniture around into a more spacious layout, and coincidentally I can’t see the slider from our bed anymore. I started to realize I was sleeping SO much better, and since then I haven’t had any dreams about a nighttime intruder (yay!). Feng Shui to the rescue! My point here is if anything at all is bothering you in your home, change it! It is amazing what moving a few pieces of furniture can do for your home and your happiness. You can learn a little more about Feng Shui here.
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