Exercise and clean eating are well-documented, important aspects of a healthy lifestyle.
However, one aspect of health that many people overlook is their surroundings, and specifically, their home.
Creating a healthy living environment can help you physically, make you more comfortable, and even boost your productivity.
If you’re keen to make your home healthier, read on as we look at some of the ways you can achieve this.
Filtered Water
While hydration is a part of a healthy lifestyle, we also use water for various other things, namely cooking, bathing, and washing.
But what if the water you’re consuming and using as part of your daily routine isn’t clean?
Well, it turns out that your water could contain chlorine, rust, and volatile organic matter. While this can seem like an unpleasant thought, you don’t have to start buying expensive supermarket bottled water.
You can carry on using the water that comes from your taps, but be sure to install a whole house water filter system.
How a whole house filtration system helps you and your home:
- Makes your water taste better and gentler on your skin.
- Prevents rust and sediment from damaging your appliances.
- Improves appliance efficiency to help your home run smoothly.
Air Quality
Often, we think about outdoor pollution and the negative impact it can have on us, but indoor air quality is also important, especially considering that many people spend lots of time indoors at home.
Ensuring the air inside your home is clean helps your immune system, your focus, energy levels, and sleep, all of which are components of a healthy lifestyle.
Ways to improve your home’s air quality:
- Keep windows and doors open as much as possible to let fresh air in and stale air out. Ventilation can reduce indoor pollutants.
- Purchase an air purifier with a HEPA filter, which can trap tiny particles, including dust, pollen, and pet dander. This helps improve the cleanliness of the air in your home, especially useful if you have asthma or allergies.
- Keep your indoor humidity between 30% and 50%; use a humidifier in damp areas like basements to prevent mould.
Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
Lots of cleaning products contain harsh chemicals, which can irritate your skin, eyes, and lungs. Going back to our previous point, these harsh chemicals can also be a hindrance to air quality.
You can resolve this issue by taking more time to look at the contents of the cleaning products you purchase. Look for ones that are eco-friendly, non-toxic, and plant-based.
Consider making homemade alternatives with vinegar and baking soda.
Keep the windows open while cleaning for ventilation, as cleaning products can release vapours.
De-Clutter
Clutter doesn’t just make your house look messy; it also increases stress and anxiety, disrupts your focus and concentration when it comes to completing tasks, and has a detrimental impact on sleep.
In short, it isn’t good for your emotional well-being, and this can have a knock-on effect on both your mental and physical health.
Tips for de-cluttering:
- Set aside 15 or 20 minutes a day for tidying.
- Part with objects that don’t hold sentimental value or aren’t used.
- Invest in shelving to give yourself more storage space.
- Finish one area before rushing ahead to start with another; this will help you work more efficiently.
Sleeping Arrangements
Your bed should be comfortable and allow you to get the necessary amount of sleep (between 7 and 9 hours).
Find a supportive mattress that supports natural spine alignment, and source organic or natural materials and ones that are free of harmful chemicals like FRs and VOCs.
Choose mattress and pillow covers that are resistant to allergens, mould, and dust mites.
If you do suffer from allergies, keep pets away from your bedroom and use mattress protectors to keep dust mites and spills at bay. While you don’t need to do this often, it’s advisable to replace your mattress every 5 to 10 years for hygiene reasons.
Keep Shoes at Bay
Wearing shoes indoors isn’t conducive to a healthy home, as you can traipse bacteria and harmful microbes into your house, which can spread germs.
You can bring harmful toxins into the building by wearing shoes freely around the house, so it’s genuinely a good idea to keep your shoes out of the way, to look after your home, and increase its healthiness.
Tips:
- Create a designated rack for shoes as people enter the house, so that they can take them off straight away.
- Use warm socks or slippers so that shoes aren’t needed if you have cold stone flooring.
- Introduce a house rule where shoes should be taken off immediately.
A Healthy Home Is A Happy Home
If you take care of yourself by running, weightlifting, or eating healthy, you’re already on the right track.
However, creating a clean home is also highly beneficial and serves a multitude of benefits, from better hydration to a stronger immune system, and from improved mental health to restful sleep.
Start using our techniques today to create a healthy home!