England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland
Health & Wellness
Stress Awareness Month: How to create a more relaxing home environment
By Matthew Currington, Technical Director,
April marks Stress Awareness Month and research shows that stress impacts more people than you may think. One study found that 79 percentof UK adults feel stressed at least once a month, and 51 percent of adults feel so stressed it has led to depression.
It can be particularly challenging to find ways to wind down after a stressful day, but your home environment can contribute to your wellbeing. Here I share tips on how to create a sanctuary at home using clever lighting techniques…
Nagaland Post
Invest in smart lighting
Automated dimming features allow you to sync interior lights with your circadian rhythms, dimming slowly in the evening leading up to bedtime and brightening slowly in the morning with your daily wake-up alarm.
This signals your body to wind down and enter a restful state before bedtime, leading to better sleep and, of course, better sleep leads to better moods.
Smart lights can also change colour and colour therapy is a useful way to try to reduce stress and create calm in the home. Bathing your living spaces in hues of blue or green during the day has a soothing effect, creating a sense of tranquillity and peace.
However, the opposite is true at night. Bright, white lights can make you feel more alert which could exacerbate feelings of stress. Use warm lights on the orange-yellow spectrum at night to create a welcoming and cosy atmosphere.
Consider candles and fairy lights
The flickering light of flames has a hypnotic effect, distracting us from life’s daily stresses and creating a sense of calm. Dotting candles around your living space while dimming central lighting is an effective way to ease stress and regulate emotions.
To further enhance their effectiveness, consider buying candles with scents such as lavender or chamomile which are known to be effective aromatherapies for stress.
If you’re worried about open flames or find candles too expensive, fairy lights can have a similar effect, especially those that flicker or pulse. Decorating indoor plants or entwining a balustrade in twinkling fairy lights enhances the atmosphere of your home, making it a magical and inviting space after a long, hard day.
Cosy living room corners decorated with fairy lights are an ideal haven to curl up in but equally, fairy lights are also well-suited to bedrooms where all other lighting can be turned off except for gentle fairy lights preparing you for restful sleep.
Enhance natural light exposure
Exposure to natural light improves mood while lack of exposure to light has the opposite effect causing depressive moods and insomnia. Insomnia won’t help poor mood either, as lack of sleep often causes low mood, worsening stressful situations.
Capitalise on the hours of light in the day by opening all blinds and curtains in your home as soon as you wake up, only closing them when you’re ready to wind down for bed.
The Lighting Superstore
Keep windows unobstructed by house plants and other window décor to get all the natural light in and remember to situate sofas and dining tables in front of large windows. This will enhance natural light exposure while relaxing or eating breakfast at the start of your day, setting you off on the right foot.
If your house doesn’t have an abundance of natural light, consider using full-spectrum light bulbs in some light fixtures. These light bulbs mimic natural sunlight which can boost alertness and reduce stress. But be sure to only use these in a few light fixtures and turn them off in the evenings.
Matthew Currington, Technical Director
