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6 ways to de-stress your home for National Stress Awareness Day

Angela Mulka, Staff writer

National Stress Awareness Day is today and with it comes various ways to relieve the stress of every day life. One place you can start is to de-stress your home. 

According to some science-backed design tips, there are specific ways to bring serenity to your home environment. And, consequently, to your life. 

The American Institute of Stress released a report titled "How to Create a Stress-Free Home Environment" to help people turn their homes into tranquil spaces.

So how do you create a stress-free home environment? Thankfully there are many small changes you can make to improve the atmosphere at home, according to the report. 

See some of the suggestions below. You can read the full report here. 

1. Create a room dedicated to relaxing. How it helps: Having a dedicated relaxation space gives you an area where you can unwind. It can make the process of relaxing a lot easier and is conducive to practices such as meditation. Creating a space where you can undertake this is the first step. It should have a calming impact on your home, for you and others.
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1. Create a room dedicated to relaxing. How it helps: Having a dedicated relaxation space gives you an area where you can unwind. It can make the process of relaxing a lot easier and is conducive to practices such as meditation. Creating a space where you can undertake this is the first step. It should have a calming impact on your home, for you and others.

2. Do simple daily tasks. How it helps: A 2017 study around physical activity showed that being active can prevent heart disease and death. Researchers at McMaster University carried out the study which looked at 130,000 people. They found that everyday activities such as commuting, having an active job and doing housework could contribute towards meeting daily activity guidelines. Doing so could reduce the risk of death by 28%. So, not only does doing simple housework tasks give you a cleaner house, less stress and a sense of accomplishment, it could improve your overall physical health, too.
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2. Do simple daily tasks. How it helps: A 2017 study around physical activity showed that being active can prevent heart disease and death. Researchers at McMaster University carried out the study which looked at 130,000 people. They found that everyday activities such as commuting, having an active job and doing housework could contribute towards meeting daily activity guidelines. Doing so could reduce the risk of death by 28%. So, not only does doing simple housework tasks give you a cleaner house, less stress and a sense of accomplishment, it could improve your overall physical health, too.

3. Declutter your home. How it helps: Your brain can’t focus properly if there is too much going on around you. Being surrounded by an array of unnecessary items can be distracting, making you less productive. This in itself can cause stress, particularly if you work from home. Clutter can also reduce your ability to think creatively. Whether or not you subscribe to the Feng Shui philosophy, it’s evident that being engulfed with your belongings can clutter your mind and cause tension in your household.
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3. Declutter your home. How it helps: Your brain can’t focus properly if there is too much going on around you. Being surrounded by an array of unnecessary items can be distracting, making you less productive. This in itself can cause stress, particularly if you work from home. Clutter can also reduce your ability to think creatively. Whether or not you subscribe to the Feng Shui philosophy, it’s evident that being engulfed with your belongings can clutter your mind and cause tension in your household.

4. Use more houseplants and flowers in the home. How it helps: A 2015 study demonstrated how houseplants can reduce stress. Researchers examined how participants responded to interacting with plants compared to completing computer-based tasks. The results showed the plant interactions felt more comfortable and soothing. Having plants at home will also help purify the air. Certain types of plants have been shown to absorb toxins from the environment. They can also humidify the room. Finally, indoor plants have been shown to boost creativity and productivity.
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4. Use more houseplants and flowers in the home. How it helps: A 2015 study demonstrated how houseplants can reduce stress. Researchers examined how participants responded to interacting with plants compared to completing computer-based tasks. The results showed the plant interactions felt more comfortable and soothing. Having plants at home will also help purify the air. Certain types of plants have been shown to absorb toxins from the environment. They can also humidify the room. Finally, indoor plants have been shown to boost creativity and productivity.

5. Unplug electronics when not in use. How it helps: Since internet-connected devices have become ubiquitous, it’s rare that we’re not connected. Many of us know the feeling of constantly checking our phones. But, studies have shown that this constant checking can create a great deal of stress. Although this constant connection has many benefits in our society, it can have negative impacts, too. Parents may find it harder to bond with their children when both are distracted by their electronic devices. Unplugging your devices and having some downtime can definitely help you to de-stress.
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5. Unplug electronics when not in use. How it helps: Since internet-connected devices have become ubiquitous, it’s rare that we’re not connected. Many of us know the feeling of constantly checking our phones. But, studies have shown that this constant checking can create a great deal of stress. Although this constant connection has many benefits in our society, it can have negative impacts, too. Parents may find it harder to bond with their children when both are distracted by their electronic devices. Unplugging your devices and having some downtime can definitely help you to de-stress.