Everybody is more anxious these days due to the pandemic. If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, then your ordeal might be worse than usual. This is why it’s important to find ways to manage it better from the comfort of your home.
While it’s not possible to change your entire household to suit your needs, especially if you live with your parents or with your children, it is possible to create a safe space for yourself. Think of your bedroom and how it makes you feel right now. Is it neat and organized, or is it drowning in clutter? Does spending hours locked inside give you a sense of peace or does it only aggravate your thoughts? If the answer leans more on the negative, then you’ve got work to do.
Thankfully, there are simple improvements you can make that will help you reduce your anxiety the next time it spikes.
Start with Your Center Piece
Poor sleep worsens people’s feelings of hopelessness and fear. As such, it’s important that your first task is to replace your mattress with something that can improve the length and quality of your sleep.
Take time out of your busy day to visit a reliable mattress store for one that will not only guarantee better nights but also encourage restful moments. Lying down to decompress your thoughts and emotions a couple of times a day could keep your anxiety from getting out of control.
Also, a new mattress calls for new sheets and bed accessories. When the centerpiece of your room is brand new and resplendent, you’ll be compelled to redecorate the rest of it and keep things in order.
Add More Blue
The color blue is associated with peace and relaxation, primarily because it reminds people of the sky and the ocean. This simple association with nature is often enough to bring down a person’s stress a couple of notches.
When redecorating your bedroom, add more blue to your choices. Perhaps your new duvet could be navy, or your curtains an arctic blue. Put up a picture of the ocean or a poster of a foreign beach you’ve always wanted to visit.
If you’re feeling more adventurous, why not paint your entire room blue? This act of self-care will improve your mood, and so will the physicality of the effort.
Try Minimalism
Redecorating doesn’t always mean adding more ornaments to your room, nor does it require you to replace every single object with something new. A more productive solution is to change your entire aesthetic by going minimalist. The main goal of this is to reduce the clutter in your room and to fill it only with essentials and objects that make you happy.
The end result might not look exactly like the photos you see on Instagram, but that doesn’t matter. The goal is to cut back on items that induce negative feelings, therefore reinforcing your sense of safety. A more minimalist approach also makes your bedroom easier to clean and organize. You will no longer have to procrastinate on any overdue cleaning, which is a common stressor that worsens anxiety.
Get Indoor Plants
Just as the color blue induces the feeling of being closer to nature, so do indoor plants. You don’t need to decorate every corner with flowers and succulents, though. Just one or two pots of low-maintenance options like snake plants and cacti are enough for you to reap their benefits.
Numerous research has already proven the stress-relieving effect of having indoor plants, especially in your bedroom. Watering, pruning, and even just looking at them can have therapeutic effects that are known to improve people’s sense of wellbeing. This is particularly true for people with dementia, depression, and anxiety.
Get White Curtains
Thin, white curtains let in more sunlight. While you can always push aside your block-out curtains and open your windows, switching to lighter fabrics and colors can reduce the effort. You will also be treated to a well-lit room each morning, which is a great way to wake up in a better mood. Finally, white has a way of making your room more streamlined, neat, and relaxing. You’ll notice that your favorite beach resorts opt for this for the exact same reason.
Having a space to retreat to is important on days you feel overwhelmed by work or just life in general. Don’t hesitate to invest in things that make your bedroom more conducive for relaxation, because the effort you put into this task will pay off in dividends in your mental health.
