Self-care and wellness trends have always been big, especially over the past two years. But there’s something about lockdown happening which has made us all listen up.
Let’s face it: we’re all guilty of spending time with our heads buried into apps and devices. We live life constantly connected and it means our brains never switch off.
By living this way, we’re not only burning out, becoming distant and suffering from posture issues – it also affects our sleep. Being glued to technology has a direct impact on our everyday mood, health and wellbeing.
If you’re working on your mental health right now, here are the biggest self-care and wellness trends of the moment. These can provide you with some much-needed inspiration for a future of staying at home more.
Wellness Trends 101: Crystal Therapy
Home designers and interior brands ramped up their crystal-inspired décor last year, which has been becoming increasingly popular. You can find an array of accessories and home items adorned with coloured crystal features.This is because crystal therapy has become a key way to connect with feelings of stillness, calm and clarity.
If you’re going to bring crystal therapy into your home, it’s important to remember that it shouldn’t look tacky. The most natural way to bring crystals into the interior design world is through utensils used in the kitchen and dining room.(Consider rose crystal charms for wine glasses, or crystal handles on cutlery.)
Incorporating crystal therapy into your home allows you to connect to a world that is more peaceful. Many crystals are said to provide healing powers and aid tranquility.There are specific colours of crystals which signify slowing down and encouraging deep breathing. If you’re quite an anxious person, it’s worth researching.
Focusing on Natural Light
Having natural light flowing through the home is one of the best things you can do for brightening your home. When there is bright light shining through the home, we tend to feel an uplift to our mood. This then lifts away feelings of anxiety and depression.
Of course, it’s not an instant cure. But by waking up to light flooding the bedroom, or cooking by open windows, it can do wonders for the mind.
Are you looking at updating your home or making a few changes if you’re going to be working from home more often? Have a good think about the natural light you have.
- Can you incorporate more glass?
- Would blinds or lighter curtains help to brighten the place up a little?
- Should you move your best to a more naturally lit room?
Creating an Inviting Office at Home
Since the pandemic hit, it’s become a global situation that more of us must adapt to working from home. This aside, flexible working has been a growing factor within businesses for some time, so it’s safe to say we are becoming a nation who are getting used to working from home.
You’re either someone who takes to it well, or you’re someone that despises it. Either way, there are so many factors to consider in regards to how it can really work for you.
- Remember that sitting at desks for long periods of time is really bad for our posture and back health. Try to be aware of how long you sit on your laptop, and on the sofa for an evening of sitting. You’ll find that there has become a rise in those sit/stand desk set ups, with new designs coming through across furniture retailers.
- Homes are also becoming equipped with USB charging ports around the house. This includes other facilities such as wireless charging ports, cable tidy racks, privacy screens and integrated lighting.
- Think about what would make you feel better: walking into a home office filled with inspirational wall prints? What about a Scandi style interior? Or, do you love sitting on your bed with your laptop on your lap and TV on in the background?
Everyone’s different, so just remember to think about what will work for you.
Bringing Nature Indoors
It’s often said that the presence of nature can do wonders for our mental well-being. Specifically, having plants and glowers around us lifts our mood.If you’ve been feeling a little unmotivated at home and want to focus on your wellbeing, it could be wise to look at where greenery and plants can sit inside your home.
By having elements of the outdoors inside our homes, it can help to remind us to take time out and appreciate real beauty. You don’t have to invest in real plants that you water every day if you’re not into it.
There are plenty of dried flowers, pressed flowers, faux greenery and potted fake plants that look beautiful. If you do appreciate fresh blooms though, try to adorn your dining room or kitchen window ledge with a bunch of florist flowers once every few weeks.
An interiors trend that is pretty big right now is the use of straw entwined features brought into kitchens, bedrooms and living room accessories, like woven baskets. Although this isn’t ‘plants’, it’s a nod to nature.
Start Small With Self-Care
The bottom line is that we’re always connected to the outside world, no matter if we’re in the middle of lockdown or it’s a normal UK day. Most of us are glued to technology, whether it’s scrolling our smartphones we’re addicted to, relying on our fitness tracking watch or watching TV shows on an iPad.
Our fast-paced lives have led to many people to start failing when it comes to looking after themselves. That said, if you want to remedy this during these tough times, you can try these self-care and wellness trends.
You might find the addition of candles, natural textures and finishes in the home can be a great place to start.
This post was written by Emma Campbell, a fellow blogger and owner of lifestyle website and online store Powder Rooms.