Here is How to Create a Home Environment to Help You Heal from Surgery
Healing from a major surgery is stressful. If you will be spending time at home recovering, making some changes can help you feel better. You can modify your home environment to give you a peaceful place to recuperate.
Improved Ambience. When you are recovering from surgery, your health becomes your top priority. Some studies show that ambience plays a major role in your healing process. You should create a space “[evoking] feelings of serenity and calm and decrease the stress of a chaotic environment.” With that in mind, incorporate balanced lighting and elements of nature to help you heal.
Natural elements. You probably can’t completely revamp your home’s decor, but incorporating natural elements into your home helps. Consider items with textures and colors that reflect the outdoors, such as the colors of stones and textures of wood. Even a garden view is helpful in reducing stress and helping you heal. According to Scientific American, studies reflect “that gazing at a garden can sometimes speed healing from surgery, infections and other ailments.” No window? Simply adding a painting or photograph of nature can help
Lighting. Think about adding brightness when you look at the lighting in your home, and pay special attention to the ceiling. The experts atHealth Facilities Management note that “the human body and brain respond to natural light in a positive way….Various types of indirect lighting can create ceilings that glow with optimism.”
Destress. By creating an environment that provides peace as opposed to stress, you can actually speed your healing process. Some experts advise that with a few simple changes you will enjoy a restorative and more peaceful home.
Play music. Whatever you find soothing will be best. Stream from the web or play a radio station you like.
Beautiful blooms. A handful of fresh flowers can brighten a room and relax you. You can put a vase in every room that you frequent.
Light a fire. If you have a fireplace, throw in a log or flip on the gas. Some candlelight and mirrors provide a similar effect.
Less television. Consider reducing the number of televisions in your household to just one, and don’t make it the central point of your home.
Declutter. By decluttering your home you set yourself up for successful healing. According to some experts, there are multiple benefits that come from less clutter. You do tasks more efficiently, have less dust and toxins to breathe, and feel better about yourself. Recognize you can’t complete the task in a single day. By starting with just one drawer you can begin the process.
Here are some great tips from Reader's Digest on decluttering your home:
Give everything a place. Each item in your home should have its own place. Return items when you’re finished with them.
Don’t add more. For every item added to your home, remove one.
Eliminate junk mail. Remove yourself from mailing lists and throw away accumulated piles.
Rethink gifting. Instead of giving items for special occasions create memories. You can give tickets to a show or plan an outing.
Check your storage before shopping. If you are heading to the grocery, review what is already on your pantry shelves first. By not duplicating items you have less storage and less clutter.
Your peaceful place. By making some simple changes in your living arrangements you can turn your home into a haven for healing. Improve your home’s ambience with proper lighting and some natural elements. Create an environment that reduces stress by adding mood enhancers and decluttering. Establishing a tranquil, healing home will help your body restore after surgery.
