Can’t seem to sleep, relax or focus in the comfort of your own home?
You’re certainly not alone.
The modern hustle-and-bustle lifestyle not only sends our stress levels through the roof but also means that our homes are in a consistent state of chaos. The result is less rest and our personal spaces actually working against us when they should be working for us.
And so the “comfort” of home seems like anything but, right?
If you want to restore your home to a sense of peace and productivity, don’t treat it as a lost cause. Instead, consider how a series of small changes and investments could help you hit the reset button on your sleep quality and spruce up your home at the same time.
But how do you make it happen? We’re glad you asked! We’ve broken down seven smart home tips that’ll help you feel better rested whether you’re under your own roof or are out-and-about.
With that, let’s get into it!
Rethink Your Alarm Situation
How you start your day is perhaps one of the biggest factors in ensuring that you feel rested. Sure, getting approximately eight hours of sleep is a nice bonus. Those hours of shut-eye mean very little, however, if you’re constantly dealing with a rude awakening.
But think about it: are you dealing with an annoying ringtone or alarm that keeps you smashing the snooze button over and over? Picking out a smart alarm clock with Bluetooth functionality and soft lighting is a great alternative to associating your phone with a wake-up call. Likewise, choosing a calmer alarm akin to white noise definitely beats out blaring and buzzing.
Invest in Home Mood-Boosters
In addition to your alarm situation, lighting can be a huge factor in whether or not you’re getting enough sleep.
Ideally, your bedroom should be as dark as possible during while you slumber. Although the health benefits of natural light are well-documented, such lights can interrupt your sleep quality. Strive to keep blinds or drapes open during the day to soak in that mood-boosting natural light, but make sure it’s blacked out by bedtime.
Some other cost-effective mood-boosters to sprinkle throughout your home include candles and scent diffusers. Especially important if you have pets, calming scents such as lavender and spearmint can have a surprisingly therapeutic effect on you. Essential oils and humidifiers are welcomed in every home, but to know the differences, visit bettermindbodysoul.com.
Declutter
There’s a non-zero chance you’ve heard about Mari Kondo’s new Netflix show “Tidying Up” and the current decluttering craze. Although there’s debate over the concept of what you should toss out, ridding yourself of needless items and clutter correlates with lower stress levels.
Think about it. When you’re surrounded by stuff, you inevitably worry about where it’s supposed to be and what you should do with it. Rather than allow junk and tasks to pile up, strive to see what you can quite literally clean out of your life.
Provide a Place for Everything (and Keep Everything in its Place)
Piggybacking on the tip above, time spent searching for items or digging through the clutter is valuable time wasted. Once you’ve thrown out the junk in your house, make a point to begin designating spots for everything from your house keys and shoes to dirty clothes and beyond. If you’re cleaning alongside your family, make sure they know about these spots as well.
Budget Yourself More Time for Daily Tasks
There never seems to be enough hours in the day, right?
Instead of letting chores overwhelm you, make a point to stick to a realistic cleaning schedule that feels less like a massive to-do list.
The pressure you put yourself under in terms of what you need to get done is based on how you budget your time. Think about how waking up fifteen or thirty minutes earlier could actually help you feel like you’re in less of a rush.
Keep It Simple
Don’t stress out over your home decor or “replacing” anything in your pursuit of a more balanced house. We can learn a lot from the principles of Swedish home minimalism which disregards knick knacks in lieu of items such as pillows, throws, and blankets. Living with less goes hand in hand with less stress and likewise many of the tips above.
End Your Day the Right Way
Beyond decor and how you clean your home, establishing better nighttime habits is the final valuable step in living a more peaceful life at home.
The most obvious culprit of poor sleep comes from your smartphone. Rather than get worked up about the daily news or get your brain racing with the latest iPhone game, consider how you can settle down with a good book.
There’s no silver bullet solution for making your home more peaceful, especially since every person and their respective living conditions are different. That said, just about anyone can follow these tips regardless of their budgets or spaces. If you’re looking to feel rested once and for all, start here!
