Why is a zen space necessary?
Life is hectic. It can be busy, draining, chaotic. And from time to time, life can become a bit too much. We all need a break now and then from the stresses of daily life, and the best place to start is wherever you call home.
Is your home a haven that offers respite after a long day? Just moved to college and wanna bring some style to your room? Maybe you spend a lot of time at home and need some advice turning it into your own little sanctuary? Whatever the situation, below you’ll find several great tips and ideas to incorporate into your home to encourage a cleaner, calmer living space.Â
Houseplants
First up, houseplants. Dotting a few plants around your living space does a lot more than simply making the space more unified and balanced. Houseplants offer an easy and natural solution for recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen, cleaning the air in our living spaces in return for very little maintenance (plant dependent!) Beyond this, research shows that being around nature can be beneficial for our mental health, so it stands to reason that having greenery in our homes can foster a sense of being connected to the earth.
Air purifierÂ
Sticking with the clean air trend, next up is the air purifier. Though your new houseplants are doing all they can to recycle the air in your space, they’ll need an extra hand if you also want to be free of allergens like dust and pollen. Cleaner air means less pollution will enter your body, allowing for a higher cognitive ability to focus and be creative.
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Get the light just rightÂ
Getting the right amount of sunlight during the day is vital to a healthy mind and body. To avoid any chance of vitamin D deficiency, make sure to boost the levels of natural sunlight you get in your home through the day through windows and skylights.
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Conversely, it’s equally important that you block out light when it comes time to sleep. When the night comes, overexposure to light, especially screens, can have a detrimental effect on the body’s natural circadian rhythm. This can disrupt sleep, leading to sleepless or restless nights. To combat this, block out any external light with blinds or black-out curtains, and make sure you have good bedroom shades for indoor lights (or light dimmers, if that takes your fancy). Most importantly though, try to avoid screen time for at least an hour before you go to bed. Believe us, it can make all the difference.Â
Scents
Introducing a scent to your living space has a number of subtle benefits. Choose the right format and scent that works for you and the specific space it’s going into. Make your home that much cosier, relaxing, and aromatic, whilst promoting a bit of humidity on those colder winter nights.
- Candles: There are such a variety of candle brands these days, making it a popular choice for novices and connoisseurs alike. Make sure you choose a soy candle though, as it smokes less and is better for the environment.
- Incense Sticks: A tale as old as time, incense sticks have been around since the dawn of time. Believed to be the start of Ayurveda, incense-burning was used both to create pleasing aromas and as a medicinal tool. These days, they come in varying forms (cones, coils; varying thicknesses, lengths, colors), and have been known to help deter insects.
- Oil diffusers allow for the freedom to mix and match scents until you find the perfect one. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, these handy little devices can fit in any room’s décor. Technology has not let us down here, with some diffusers having a mobile app to control the output. Simply add water and essential oils, and your diffuser can go for hours, bubbling away in the background, bringing an element of white noise to aid with the relaxation element.
- Reed diffusers are great for the bathroom, and for the more forgetful of us. Where candles have an open flame you need to blow out, and oil diffusers need to be switched off, reed diffusers can just be left until a refill is needed. Most reeds have environmental creds so they can easily be added to a compost or general waste pile.
- Plug-in Air Refreshener: Many of you probably have at least one or two plug-in air fresheners that you’ve purchased at the grocery store. Here us out though, as scent plugs have come full circle, with luxury brands adopting this zero-fuss method of diffusing ambient scent into a room. They are easy to use, relatively low cost (depending on the brand you purchase!), and don’t require any maintenance.
Minimize the clutter, especially in the bedroom
If you have ‘things’ taking up space in every available corner of your house, you need to consider Marie Kondo-ing immediately. Though mementoes, decorations, and trinkets can hold memories, make a room feel special, and make a house feel homely, there is an art to storing them. Every single piece should have a home and a purpose within any room, but this is especially true in the bedroom. Items that don’t serve a specific purpose should likely be re-homed to other locations outside the bedroom; minimalism in the room where you rest is likely to bring a greater sense of peace and serenity.Â
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Create a Relaxation Space
No matter the size of your personal space, be it a small room or an entire house, creating a relaxation space is ideal for fostering a sense of calm. Whether you use this space for meditation, yoga, reading, or simply to have a quiet moment, here are a few tips for creating your own relaxing zone.Â
- Choose a location as far from the busy centre of your home as possible. This could be the basement or attic, a corner of a bedroom, the bathroom, or even the garden.Â
- Keep your space minimalist and clutter-free. When using this space, make sure to only bring what you need, maybe some comfy cushions, a mat or rug for the floor, soft lighting and maybe some gentle music, and possibly a healthy plant.
- If you share your home with other people, think about creating a sign or signal that everyone can use to let others know that you’d like to be undisturbed.