What is Biophilia? How can it help promote mental health?
You may have heard this called ‘bringing the outdoors in’, but the phenomenon of Biophilia is now recognised and defined as –
‘the innate human instinct to connect with nature and other living beings’
Indoor plants and real wooden furniture help relieve stress
This suggests humans have the innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other life forms, it can manifest itself in many areas of life including interior design, indoor plants, and decoration
Incorporating nature into your home can be the best anti-stress factor and allow you to feel at one with your immediate environment on a daily basis, this has been shown to boost mental well being and relaxation.
Below are our tips on making your home a sanctuary of peace and harmony inspired by design.
Indoor Plants –
Plants can provide a calming and stress relieving environment in your home and also make the air you breathe healthier by removing and eliminating harmful toxins.
Surround yourself everyday with vegetation and watch closely what happens to your mood, your happiness and your ability to cope with life’s ups and downs, live plants are an obvious addition but also living green walls and plant installations are an interesting solution.
Some of our favourite plants to use include –
Aloe Vera – Ferns – Palms – Sansevieria – English Ivy
- These plants can be multi beneficial, Aloe Vera for example as well as looking stylish, purifies the air, removing toxins found in household cleaning products.
- Ferns are the most tactile of plants and it can be hard to walk past a large fern with draping your hand over the delicate foliage, this direct contact with a soothing touch can actually boost your mood.
- Sansevieria or Mother in Laws Tongue, experts now recommend this plant for your bedroom as it slowly releases oxygen at night and helps to purify the air, possibly contributing to a better nights sleep.
- English Ivy has been shown to relieve headaches and is a fantastic plant for stress reduction and anxiety.
Your choices of furnishings, decorations and more all influence your emotions, your choice of colours for floors, walls and furniture all have an impact on your perceptions and can either increase or decrease stress and anxiety.
You want your home to be your sanctuary of comfortable and calm when you have finished your days work and one scientifically proven method is to use solid wood furniture wherever possible.
Studies show that by merely being in the presence of wood, whether that is a living tree or wooden furniture, can help reduce stress.
Environments that are exposed to wooden elements can have an immediate calming effect on a human being, actually reducing blood pressure and pulse. If you are finding yourself feeling stressed out on a regular basis all you may be missing is a little solid wood therapy to find you inner peace.
This calming effect is not just an intangible notion! The relaxing warmth of wood, the feeling of being close to nature all promote a positive emotional response.
For this reason real solid wood is better than any other surface material, it can make a room feel warmer and cosier, and just touching a wooden surface can make you feel safe and connected to nature.
The use of solid wood desks for example can affect the people using that desk and that are present within the room, improving mood and lowering stress levels as well as the overall atmospheric effects of improving air quality.
Please don’t feel bad if you don’t get how solid wood ‘speaks’ to us
Most people are unaware of the positive impacts solid wood can have past the aesthetic of a piece of furniture, and how beneficial it can be to overall mental health at such a profound level, it just requires your attention for a short while.
We at Muju hope we can help with your stress levels with one of our solid wood desks, with the addition of some indoor plants you may find your own oasis in difficult times.
Stay Safe
Muju
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.