Can you discuss the benefits of curating an environment to help your health and ways to do this?

The Significance of Curating an Environment for Health

Our environment significantly influences how we feel, act, and live. It's beneficial to curate a healthy environment as it can promote physical well-being, reduce levels of stress, and enhance our mood, productivity, and mental health (Berman, Jonides, & Kaplan, 2008).

How to Curate a Healthy Environment

There are several ways to curate a healthy environment, and it doesn't always have to involve significant changes. Here are some simple strategies to curate an environment conducive to health:

Creating a Clean Space

Keeping your environment clean and clutter-free can significantly decrease stress levels and improve mental well-being (Saxberg, 2018). This also includes maintaining indoor air quality by reducing pollutants in your environment.

Integrating Nature

Whether it's a full-scale garden or a single potted plant, integrating elements of nature into your environment can provide feelings of relaxation and bring about improvements in mental health (Kaplan, 1995).

Promoting Physical Activity

Physical environments that encourage movement and physical activity are significantly beneficial for health (Giles-Corti et al., 2005). This can be achieved by including spots for exercise in your home or office, or simply by making staircases more appealing to use than elevators.

References

Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212.

Giles-Corti, B., et al. (2005) Increasing walking: How important is distance to, attractiveness, and size of public open space? American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28(2), 169-176.

Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169-182.

Saxberg, B. O. (2018). How to Design a Happier Home. HBR Guide to Being More Productive (HBR Guide Series).