H E A LT H Y Y O U
Wellness at Home STORY MICHELLE JOHNS
MA, LPC-MHSP (TEMP), NCC, 200 HR E-RTY, 500 HR RYT
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any people are spending more time at home these days, working, relaxing, communing with family and friends. Recent research shows 25 to 35 percent of people work from home at least part of the time. Not only have homes become multi- use spaces, they are often shared with a spouse or partner and children. In ancient times a person’s home was considered a sanctuary, a place of protection and peace. With so many in-home distractions and disruptors these days, it may be difficult to consider home a haven of comfort. Following are a few ways to create harmony in a home and make it a place of safety and peace. DECLUTTER Clutter often creates sensory overload. Research shows clutter can increase cortisol levels and trigger a fight-or-flight response. To assess your home’s clutter level and its impact on physiology, walk into a room and notice how your body responds to the environment. Take inventory and consider the things in the space that bring you joy or cause you anxiety. Begin removing things that you do not use and those that do not make you happy. If you share your home with others, you may have to compromise or negotiate removing or keeping certain items. Decluttering respectfully and thoughtfully may take some time; work on one room at a time over a period of a week. Reducing and minimizing clutter can create an environment of calmness and bring clarity to your mind. A good rule of thumb is that if you have gone six months 76 | At Home Memphis & Mid South • August 2022
without using an object in your home, you might consider discarding it. LET THE NATURAL LIGHT IN The harmony of night and day helps regulate hormones including insulin, serotonin and dopamine, as well as circadian rhythm. Research indicates that exposure to natural full-spectrum light from the sun positively impacts both the mind and body. Seasonal depression occurs most often in winter months when the weather is gray and people spend more time indoors. For healthy light exposure, set a goal to take a walk outside every day. Additionally, take steps to bring more natural light into your home. Open the blinds and curtains every morning and let natural light flow inside. Take a moment to acknowledge the natural light and notice whether you experience a shift in your mood. In the evening dim indoor lights and lower the blinds or shades. Note how increasing natural light exposure positively affects your sleep/wake cycle. MINIMIZE THE INDOOR TOXIC LOAD A home’s indoor environment may be contaminated by a variety of toxins that cannot be seen or smelled. These toxins are often found in common products including cleaning solutions, cookware, building materials, pesticides, paints and skin-care products. Known as “endocrine disruptors,” these toxins interfere with the body’s ability to make natural hormones.
