A Biophilic Home Fostering Mental Health
This blog post, written together with Dorothy Huntsman, was first published as a LinkedIn article.
Research studies support physical activity, digital health technologies, and contact with nature as a means to improve mental health, but what about our home environment? Given that Americans spent 90% of their time indoors, creating a biophilic home to help reduce depressive symptoms, mitigate chronic stress and burnout, or prevent anxiety is a real-life opportunity.
To raise awareness about mental health and the “Healthy Dwelling 2030” campaign, this blog post illustrates the health benefits of bringing nature indoors while practicing self-care.
Biophilic Design
Biophilic design aims to restore humans’ innate connection with nature by emulating the experience of being in nature. Here are examples of research studies showing how natural environments can improve mental health:
- Exposure to nature can increase positive emotions.1
- Forest bathing can reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms.2
- Contact with nature can reduce physiological and perceived stress.3
- More time spent in outdoor light is associated with improved mood and reduced risk for major depressive disorder.4
- Indoor plants can reduce stress, depressive symptoms, and negative emotions.5
- Flowers can foster relaxation, improve emotional health, and reduce anxiety and fatigue.6
- Touching wooden elements can increase relaxation.7
- Natural sounds can improve mood and decrease stress.8
With all these benefits of exposure to nature, can you combine them with the health benefits of self- care to further boost their positive impact on mental health?
We recently published a peer-reviewed article about the design of biophilic interiors fostering self-care for people living with depression, migraine, and chronic pain9. The “Healthy Dwelling” article provides evidence on the health benefits of both biophilic design and specific self-care practices helping to manage chronic health conditions.
Self-Care for Mental Health
Self-care is defined by the World Health Organization as “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”
Many research studies confirm that listening to music, physical activity, yoga practice, meditation, breathing exercises and nutrition can improve depressive symptoms (for references see Table 3 in the “Healthy Dwelling” article).
It is noteworthy that the European Medicines Agency approved lavender essential oil as a herbal medicine for mental stress and mood disorders. To alleviate anxiety symptoms, at-home practices include mindfulness meditation, sleep hygiene, aromatherapy, and music.
A Healthy Dwelling for People Living with Depression
Multiple elements are important when designing a biophilic home to support mental health. Here is an example to-do list when creating a healthy dwelling for people with depression:
- Incorporating natural elements into interior design can create a restorative environment for the nervous system. Plants and fresh flowers support emotional health, while wood elements can also have a soothing effect.
- Having been reported to “induce more positive moods”,10 create a dynamic lighting experience at home by combining bright direct sunlight with indirect lighting produced by lamps or sconces at varying times of the day. This combination helps to mimic the ever-changing light of the natural world and can add depth and visual engagement with space.
- To encourage relaxation and meditation, consider creating a dedicated refuge space in your home. This can be achieved by converting an existing nook or creating a cozy corner with a canopy net or a hanging planter, then adding a lounge chaise, and a diffuser for lavender essential oil to help create a calming atmosphere.
- To facilitate physical activity at home, consider incorporating wellness equipment such as a spin bike or a step machine that is both functional and visually appealing. Having inviting exercise equipment can help motivate and encourage regular physical activity, which has been shown to improve mental health.
- To enhance the overall mental health outcomes in a space, consider incorporating scentscapes through the use of aromatherapy and soundscapes with music or natural sounds. By delivering a multisensory experience, you can create a more immersive and relaxing environment.
In summary, creating a healthy dwelling that supports mental health includes nature-inspired interiors, smart home technologies, wellness products, and many other elements.
Next Steps
Biophilic home environments fostering self-care can benefit many people. Approximately 21 million of adults and 4.1 million of teens in the U.S. experienced a major depressive episode in 2020 (the National Institute of Mental Health data), while anxiety affects estimated 29 million adults in the U.S.11
In order to raise awareness about the home-health-nature connections, the “Healthy Dwelling 2030” campaign was launched in February 2023. We propose a three-step solution to improve individual and public health, as summarized below:
What can you do to scale up biophilic homes fostering mental health?
If you are a mental health advocate, a caregiver, a healthcare professional, or a person who knows someone struggling with mental illness, please expand awareness about the “Healthy Dwelling” article and the “Healthy Dwelling 2030” campaign.
- If you are a compassionate leader, a visionary investor, a conscious executive, or an enthusiastic philanthropist, be a catalyst for scaling up biophilic homes fostering self-care and mental health.
In conclusion, biophilic home environments provide real-life opportunities to improve mental health and well-being.
Enjoy the health benefits of connection with nature.
Best wishes,
Grzegorz Bulaj, PhD
Dorothy Huntsman, Founder of Dayhouse Studio
About Dayhouse Studio
Dayhouse Studio is a health-focused biophilic interior design company, grounded in sustainable practices and evidence-based research to improve well-being. The company offers services for both residential and commercial clients and is developing a product line for health-focused living.
2. Stier-Jarmer et al, Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021
3. Shuda et al, Complement Ther Med 2020
4. Burns et al, J Affect Disord 2021
5. Zhao et al, Environ Res 2023
6. Haviland-Jones et al, Front Psychol 2021; Song et al, Complement Ther Med 2017; Park and Mattson, HortTechnology 2008
7. Ikei et al, Int J Environ Res Public Health 2017
8. Buxton et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2021
9. Huntsman and Bulaj, Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022
10. https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/
11. Daly and Robinson, J Affect Dis 2021
