Five tiny changes to make in your home to feel a lot happier in the New Year

The time around the end of the year can be chaotic. With all the year-end parties and festivities, it is not surprising to feel a bit jaded and stressed out.     And let’s face it, in this era of smartphones, it is almost impossible to just unplug and get some mental peace. There are always those annoying (and tempting) notifications.   [caption id=“attachment_7794891” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption] But that does not mean you can’t create a relaxing atmosphere. Ambience does a lot for your mood; so the solution to a calmer home can be implemented today itself.   Here are 5 tiny ways you can change or do up your home to bring more happiness and peace into your life in 2020:

1. Organise

First things first. Organise your home and declutter. Get rid of everything you don’t need and arrange the useful stuff in the right — and accessible — place. Experts say that decluttering is as beneficial for your mind as it is for your home. It reduces stress and makes it easier for you to do your work - since things are not constantly in your way. Besides, more open space is easier to clean. That means there are fewer places for dust to get into and less cleaning work.

2. Let there be light

Reduced sunlight can reduce the levels of serotonin — the happy hormone — in your body, making you feel sad and depressed. On the other hand, a good dose of sunlight can brighten up anybody’s day. And who doesn’t love some warm sunlight in winters? If you don’t want the room to be too hot, put up adjustable blinds so you can add just enough light to your room to keep it bright while also maintaining a comfortable level of warmth.  

3. Colour me right

Just like sunlight, bright colours are also efficient mood boosters. However, brightness is not the only criteria for choosing the right colour for your home. In her article in the magazine  Psychology Today, Dr Sally Augustin, a practising environment psychologist explained the right way to pick colours for your mood. She wrote that when it comes to colours two factors should be kept into consideration - saturation and brightness.   Saturation refers to the purity of a colour, less saturated colours have tones of grey in them. Brightness, on the other hand, refers to how light a colour looks. While less saturated but bright colours are relaxing, more saturated colours that are not that bright are energising.   Similarly, shades like red, orange and yellow are warm and blues and violet are colder.   Now you don’t have to go overboard with colours - excessive bright colours may be tiring for the eyes. Instead, create a blend of soothing shades of cream or ivory with complements of bright and vibrant colours that look pleasing to the eyes. Just throw in a few vibrant comforters or multicoloured decor pieces and you are good to go.

4. The healing touch of mother nature

Indoor plants add more than just aesthetics to your house. They can be really good for mental health too. Researchers say that indoor plants not only reduce stress but also reduce blood pressure and induce a feeling of well being. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can buy those tiny succulents and put them anywhere from your windowsill to the study table or kitchen shelf. Aloe vera, lavender, spider plant and peace lily are just some examples you can start with. They are easy to maintain and don’t require much care.

5. The magic of scents

It has long been known that specific fragrances affect human psychology and mood in specific ways. The right scent can make you feel happy, sad, calm or nostalgic. So, raid the aroma candle aisle in the supermarket and find that perfect scent that brings out the feeling of joy in you. It may be that musky pine that reminds you of your last holiday or just the warm and cosy cinnamon or basil. You can also buy diffusers along with it and put them at random places in your home to make it feel like the perfect sanctuary.   For more information, please read our article on   Stress: Stages, Symptoms and Treatment_._ Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.