How Is Your Home Affecting Your Health?

Your home is your castle and your haven, where you spend most of your downtime, and where you go to escape the world. It’s the place you should feel safest and most comfortable, and a space in which you should take price. But what we sometimes fail to consider is how our homes affect our health and wellbeing. After all, just like the rest of the world around us, there are risks and dangers in everything, but we can all be guilty of overlooking those things to bolster our sense of security. Unfortunately, if problems aren’t dealt with in a timely fashion, they can have devastating long term effects on your and your family, both on your happiness and your physical health.

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Wellbeing

The initial consideration should be: does my home make me happy? Considering you spend so much time in it, it really ought to be a space that makes you feel contented. Do you have enough room for everyone that lives in your house, including any equipment for hobbies and pets? Overcrowding can lend itself to feelings of stress and a lack of control, so it’s important you have plenty of space. That being said, too much space can mean you feel isolated and the home lacks comfort, so it’s a delicate balance. A home should be free from excess clutter as much, as clutter can impede your mind’s ability to relax and switch off.

Do you have access to a lot of natural light? A deficiency of natural light, especially in darker months, can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which has symptoms such as depression, lethargy, and anxiety. If you do not get a lot of natural light into your home, do you have a nice outside area in which you can spend half an hour a day getting the light your body requires?

The location and community in which your home is situated can also have an impact on your wellbeing. If you feel like you are a member of the community, you’re less likely to have feelings of isolation and depression. This is the same if you’re close to family and friends, and are able to socialize regularly. A long commute can have an adverse effect both on your mental and physical health. Exhaustion that comes from a long working day with a commute to start and finish it can cause stress, which lowers your immune system and makes you more susceptible to bugs and viruses. You may also find that with a long commute, you develop back, neck, shoulder and hip pain from driving for long hours regularly.

Illness

It’s not nice to think about, but there are things in our homes which can cause illness or varying degrees. If a home is particularly dusty, this can cause or exacerbate chest complaints such as asthma, and other allergies, especially in young children. Damp and mold are an even bigger concern, particularly in babies and the elderly or those with a compromised immune system. Spores from the mold can cause allergic reactions with symptoms like a rash or a runny nose. They can also act as a trigger for asthma attacks.

All homes are also at risk of carbon monoxide leaks. Known as the deadly killer, carbon monoxide is caused by faulty boilers, water heaters, electric fires, and other devices. As humans have no way of detecting the presence of this lethal gas, it is absolutely critical that every home has a carbon monoxide alarm that alerts you if any gas leak is noticed.

Physical problems

Our bodies are delicate structures that we need to take good care of – after all; that’s why we work out and eat well. But there are things in our homes which can cause physical problems such as repetitive strain injury, carpal tunnel, or painful back injuries that it’s important to be aware of.

Your home office is a great example. Good office furniture, at the correct height for you, it crucial to protect your back and neck. Anyone who has worked on inferior office equipment for too long will know how much discomfort it can cause, but unlike when you work in your company’s office, your home office is your own responsibility. Don’t scrimp and get the cheapest furniture you can find, and it’s not recommended that you make the mistake of style over substance either. When you spend upwards of eight hours a day in this room, on this furniture, it’s important that you get it right. It’s advisable to buy the furniture in store too, rather than online. This way you can guarantee its quality, and that it offers the comfort and support you require for it. It’s also a good idea to look into purchasing ergonomic computer mice and keyboard wrist supports if they’re things that you use regularly. Using a regular computer mouse can cause repetitive strain injury in your wrist and tendons in your hand.

Your mattress is another important investment. A cheap mattress, or one which doesn’t suit your needs, can cause back complaints, interrupted sleep, and general achiness. When considering your mattress, it’s important to research different types – soft and firm aren’t the only two options. If back problems are something you already suffer with, it’s even more important that you get the support you need from your mattress. Get advice before you buy by visiting Mattress-Guides.net/top-premium-mattresses-chronic-lower-back-pain/.

As you can see, ignoring potential problems in your home can result in chronic back pain, asthma attacks, and even carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s always important to stay on top of issues, and aware of where new problems could crop up, to ensure the health of your family and yourself. It’s also important to consider how your home affects your mental health and your wellbeing, and if it’s not doing you any good, it’s important to make changes. Remember, you need your friends and family, community, light, and space, and the rest of your happiness should follow.

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