You’ve just entered year three of the pandemic, and things don’t seem to be getting any easier. Lockdowns are still depressing, you may be afraid to spend time in public and new variants are popping up all over the place. Perhaps you’re even homeschooling the kids and avoiding the gym or Yoga studio.
In this case, prioritizing your mental and physical health may feel like a huge hurdle. However, taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, you can easily create your own cozy self-care and meditation space at home.
Use whatever you have on hand and the tips below to curate the perfect space.
Incorporate soft materials
Whether you’re settling in for a five-minute meditation or an hour-long self-care sesh, you want to feel comfy-cozy in your special space. That’s why incorporating soft textures and materials is key.
Layer sheepskin rugs over one another to create a place to lay down or sprawl out. Blankets or throws made of fleece, velvet and silk also make great additions. You can even designate a space to store an extra cardigan or Snuggie during the colder months.
Add a weighted blanket
If you missed the weighted blanket craze, now might be the perfect time to see what all the fuss was about. These thick, heavy blankets use pressure therapy to induce calm over your entire body. You might even feel like someone’s hugging you when you’re underneath one, which is much more comforting than wrapping up in a thin velvet or cotton throw.
Weighted blankets can also alleviate symptoms of attention deficit disorder, so they can make meditation a bit easier for some people.
Pick a sunny spot
Natural light helps humans regulate their circadian rhythms to get better sleep, feel more alert and live happier, healthier lives. Reap all these benefits and more by choosing a sunny spot to meditate or practice self-care rituals.
Perhaps it’s a window seat, your porch or the backyard garden. Get creative in selecting the perfect corner and visit it throughout the day to determine the sunniest time to stay and rest.
Bring in nature
Being outdoors or even seeing nature can reduce stress and make you feel calmer. Bring some part of the natural world in as decor if your self-care and meditation space is inside. Use a small stump for a table, decorate with dried wildflowers or use fallen branches to make jewelry hangers.
However you incorporate nature into your space, it’ll surely make you feel more at home. Plus, it’ll encourage you to explore the outdoors and find more natural elements to bring in.
Choose soft lighting
It’s important to create a warm, inviting atmosphere, regardless of whether you reserve your space for deep breathing practices or facemasks and foot peels. Instead of settling for regular old lamps and LEDs, choose soft lighting like candles and salt lamps.
You get bonus points if you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove to provide light and warmth. Remember to think outside the box and incorporate reflective, translucent and even glow-in-the-dark materials to create the most relaxing ambiance.
Reconsider seating
You’ll need somewhere to sit, but a traditional chair might feel out of place in your meditation space. Rethink your seating situation to consider options like hammocks, Papasan chairs and giant bean bags. Even pillows will do, especially if you layer them on top of fuzzy rugs and throws.
Invest in a meditation pillow or two if you have some room in your budget. This special cushion will provide extra support for your longest sessions.
Integrate pleasing scents
Make scent part of your ritual, too. Many people find essential oils like lavender, patchouli, rose and bergamot to be especially grounding and cleansing. Stimulating scents like lemon, orange and spearmint might help you feel more centred, too.
Use a diffuser to fill your space with pleasing scents or light a few scented candles to add an aroma to the room. Incense, potpourri and homemade freshening sprays work, too. Try to keep the ingredients as natural as possible to avoid irritation and overpowering odours.
Soundproof your space
When you close your eyes, your other senses will work overtime to pick up scents, textures and sounds. That last element can be especially distracting if you have kids, pets or noisy neighbours.
This is an area where soundproofing can help. Install door sweeps or sound-deadening sheets to keep out noise. Floor joist isolators have also been shown to reduce vibrations from adjacent rooms.
Choosing a smaller room as your personal self-care space is also helpful, since smaller rooms offer less space for low-frequency noises to travel through. You can make a larger space feel smaller and cozier by strategically positioning soft furniture or drapery to absorb sound. That way, you can tune into the present moment and yourself in pure, uninterrupted silence.
Make room for self-expression
If you’re in too big of a hurry to fill your space with pillows, candles and more, you’ll quickly run out of room for self-expression. Creative endeavours like knitting, journaling and playing musical instruments aid with relaxation and often give life meaning.
Others, like gardening and art, can promote mental health and well-being, too. Save some space for personal items that relate to your interests, or add a self-expression station to your corner so you can enjoy your creative hobbies more often.
Keep it clean
When it comes to curating a self-care and meditation space, less is more. Take a minimalist approach to design and maintain your quiet corner so it feels light and bright at all times.
Reduce clutter and minimize distractions by using bins, cubbies, hooks, shelves and other storage solutions. Remember to dust, sweep or mop often to keep the area clean, especially if you plan to sit or lie on the floor.
Most importantly, make the space your own
You’ll want to include a few personal touches in your self-care and meditation space, too. It’s best to infuse your room with at least one sentimental item, whether it’s a singing bowl from a friend, artwork you created or a few strings of mala beads. The more the area reflects your personality, life and interests, the more likely you’ll be to spend time there.
Feel free to add and remove items to make the space more functional and personal. Experiment with different layouts, and only include belongings that help you connect inwardly. That way, you can tune in and drop out whenever you need a few seconds of peace.
Avis de non-responsabilité médicale : Cette page est conçue à des fins purement éducatives et informatives et ne peut être perçue comme un avis médical. Les informations ne remplacent pas les conseils médicaux prodigués par les médecins. Veuillez consulter le texte intégral de notre avis de non-responsabilité médicale .
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