When it comes to creating the perfect environment in your home, you probably know the colors and styles that suit your taste and personality, but your home environment is about more than style. You want to create a healthier home environment for all the members of your family.
Good health begins at home, and there are many tools and options to help you create a healthier space. From the air you breathe to the water you drink, you can improve the health of your personal space with a few simple changes.
Breathing Easy
Indoor air quality is a big concern in today’s world. The quality of the air you breathe directly affects your health, and indoor pollutants such as smoke and chemicals can cause problems ranging from headaches and fatigue to more serious concerns such as asthma and certain types of cancer.
Fortunately, there are many simple ways you can improve the quality of air in your home. One of the easiest options is adding houseplants, according to Michael D’Arcangelo, a plant care technician specializing in air-purifying plants for the home.
“NASA has even done studies on this and found which houseplants are the best at removing household toxins,” D’Arcangelo says. “Carpets and furniture can be a source of benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, and ammonia being released into your air. Plants remove toxins from the air by breathing through their leaves and roots, and most of these varieties are low maintenance.”
The most important thing you’ll need to learn is what type of lighting is right for each type of plant. Whether your space has low light or is brightly lit, there’s a plant out there to help improve your air quality.
Looking for the Intangibles
With more products coming into the home, more things are compromising health. For example, the blue light emitted from computer screens, phones, and televisions sends a wake-up call to the brain, affecting the production of melatonin — which is essential for getting sleep. An increasing number of studies show that proper sleep isn’t just good for your mood, it’s also critical for good health.
“Things like Wi-Fi, cell phones, and electronics are a source of radiation, but we don’t yet know the long-term effects,” D’Arcangelo says, adding that experts recommend powering down devices a couple of hours before bedtime and moving LED-emitting electronics out of the bedroom entirely. Creating the right environment for sleep is an investment that pays off.
The National Sleep Foundation suggests starting by decluttering your bedroom and creating a clean, orderly space that is used only for sleep. To create your best sleep sanctuary, select paint and bedding in colors that are soothing and restful, and decorate with artwork or photos you enjoy.
Something in the Water?
Water plays an important role in your daily life. You drink it, shower in it, cook with it — but do you know what’s in it? Water is often filled with chemicals that could include prescription drugs and hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. Many cities clean their water with chlorine to destroy bacteria, but long-term exposure to chlorinated water has been linked to higher levels of cancer. Limit your exposure and risk by creating a healthier water environment.
“The best solution is a complete water filtration system that removes everything,” says Dr. Robert Bard, also known as The Health Builder. “The problem is that most people cannot afford one of these systems, but there are things they can do to make their water safer.”
Adding a water purification or reverse osmosis filtration system to any taps you drink from helps remove harmful chemicals. Always check to make sure the filter removes fluoride and chlorine. Don’t skip sinks and bathtubs, as these taps also expose you to water each day. (Make a note of when filters need to be changed to ensure optimal benefit.)
Sniffing Out Good Health
Using synthetic fragrances to mask odors is popular, but Bard says it’s not doing your health any favors. Man-made fragrances in things like dryer sheets, air fresheners, plug-ins, scented candles, laundry detergent, and cleaning products have been linked to allergies, asthma, kidney damage, and even cancer. The most vulnerable are pregnant women, infants, and children.
To improve your home environment, look for products scented with essential oils. You can even buy your own essential oils and make your own air fresheners and cleaning products.
As you work on ways to create a healthier home environment, you may decide to make significant changes. CORT Furniture Rental has everything you need to redesign the look of your home.