How to
MAKE A MENTAL HEALTH HAVEN
Of Your Home BY MY
JO
KINGSLEY
ANXIOUS
|
LIFE
In the midst of the current mental health crisis, it’s more important than ever to make time for self-care and find peaceful spaces to clear the mind and recharge the batteries. But when time is scarce and your finances simply won’t allow you to indulge in a yoga retreat atop a Nepalese mountain, where do you begin? Well like a lot of things, you begin at home. With so much time spent out and about, from work to the gym, ferrying kids around or running errands, we often forget the importance of our own homes on our mental health. They shouldn’t just be a place to crash and binge on the latest boxsets – they should be our own little healing sanctuary.
Here are my top tips for making your home a haven that your mental health will thank you for.
CREATE CALM WITH COLOUR We all know that colour can stimulate different responses and affect our mood. So what colours should we be using to create a calm and restful space in our home? It sounds counter-intuitive but, despite all the old adages ("feeling blue", "baby blues", "singing the blues" etc) many studies have found blue to be most associated with calmness and relaxation. In fact, in a recent study conducted by papermakers G.F. Smith, in association with the University of Sussex, navy blue was found to be the most relaxing colour in the world.Grey has grown in popularity in recent years and a soft tone can also be extremely soothing. You can either keep it neutral by accessorising with serene white or bring a touch of comfort with a warm purple as I’ve done in my own bedroom. Just be prepared for your Mother to think you've lost it. A grey bedroom? GREY??!If you’re not sure you want to fully commit to the boldness of a blue or grey colour scheme, you can always start with a feature wall, accessories or soft furnishings and go from there.
