Ace-De-stress

Is Your Home Stressed?

Did you know that houses can suffer from tension too? Take steps now to make sure your living environment is as happy and healthy as you are!

Do you get bad vibes in certain areas of your house? A niggling sensation that something isn’t right? Or maybe you suffer from sleepless nights and feel constantly tired all the time. Believe it or not, this could be down to your house suffering from stress.

Experts believe that homes can be affected by all sorts of negative influences, which can have an impact on your health and wellbeing. These ‘home stressors’ can range from external influences such as electromagnetic radiation and geopathic stress to internal factors such as too much clutter or toxin overload.

According to recently released figures, we spend up to a whopping 90 percent of our lives indoors so it makes sense to ensure our homes are healthy and harmonious places to be. Take steps now to pinpoint the most common tension triggers in your home and learn how to avoid them!

Electromagnetic stress

The problem: If you feel constantly wired and anxious or if you wake up exhausted in the mornings, your house could be suffering from electromagnetic overload. Hi-tech gadgets in the home such as wi-fi systems, mobile and cordless phones, computers, power lines, televisions and microwaves all emit varying levels of electromagnetic radiation that can be damaging to your health.

The solution: Make sure you switch off all electrical appliances at night and never sleep with your mobile phone plugged in by the side of your bed. Cut back on the number of electrical appliances in your home, especially in your bedroom, and turn off your wi-fi when you’re not using it.

Toxic home syndrome

The problem: According to government figures more than 15 million houses in the UK suffer from Toxic Home Syndrome, which is caused by contaminated air. “Toxic Home Syndrome occurs when individuals and families are exposed to a potent mix of airborne pollutants within the home, arising from poor ventilation, causing respiratory and skin diseases to occur more frequently,” explains Professor Peter Howarth, an allergy and respiratory medicine specialist. Shockingly, air circulating inside some homes can contain up to 900 different types of toxic particles from mould, pollen, poisonous gas, dander, chemicals from building materials and cleaning products.

The solution: Make sure your house is well ventilated and free from damp at all times. Switch to organic and natural cleaning products and make sure the paint you use on the walls is free from toxins such as volatile organic compounds.

Stagnant energy

The problem: If your house feels cold or unwelcoming, it could be suffering from negative energy overload. Space clearing experts believe that houses can absorb bad vibes caused by toxic emotions and stressful situations, or that physical obstructions such as too much clutter or poorly placed furniture can ‘trap’ bad energy.

The solution: Use feng shui principles to make sure your house is free from clutter and burn essential oils such as sweet orange, lemon and grapefruit, which have uplifting properties. Perform a space cleansing ceremony by burning dried sage or sandalwood incense in your house. Open the windows to allow the sun energy to enter your home and imagine a brilliant white light filling the whole space.

Geopathic stress

The problem: Does your house feel like it has a bad case of the blues, or do you feel constantly out of sorts when you’re inside? If so, your house could be suffering from geopathic stress. Energy experts such as house healers and dowsers believe that it is triggered by disturbances in the earth’s natural magnetic field. These can be caused by geological faults, underground water courses, sewers, tunnels, electricity lines and even mineral formations, all of which can upset the delicate equilibrium of our natural energy field.

The solution: A specialist practitioner can help to divert the stress by performing ‘earth acupuncture’ – placing metal rods in the ground surrounding the affected building to divert the energy. You can also buy plug in geopathic stress neutralisers that work by simulating the earth’s beneficial magnetic frequencies.

Radon gas

The problem: While you might not be aware that your house has a problem with radon gas, your health could certainly be suffering. Radon is an odourless, colourless gas that seeps out of rocks such as granite. Disturbingly, it has been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer.

“As radon is emitted from the ground, it quickly dilutes in the atmosphere into relatively harmless concentrations,” explains Keith Hardy, a senior lecturer at the School of Architecture Design and the Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University. “But in confined and unventilated spaces in buildings, in basements and in underground mines, its concentration levels can become dangerously high.

The solution: To check if your house is in an affected area (such as Devon, Cornwall and the Derbyshire Dales) go to the government’s website ukradon.org. If you are in a high risk area you can buy protection devices and services from Public Health England’s website pheprotectionservices.org.uk

Top tips for a stress-free home

Make sure your house stays free from toxic stress with this advice from the My Health My Home website (myhealthmyhome.com)

Ventilate properly

Make sure you have effective ventilation throughout your home by installing a mechanical ventilation system

Use eco friendly cleaning products

Less toxins and pollutants are spewed into the air, making it fresher and cleaner

Roll with it

Use roll on deodorant or ecofriendly beauty products rather than aerosol cans

Consider wood flooring

Carpets harbour dirt, dust mites, pet hair, fungus and other potentially harmful particles that can aggravate the lungs

Unplug

Switch off all technology devices by the wall when finished using them

Take your shoes off

Leave your shoes at the door so pollen, dirt, soil etc from outdoors is not spread around your home

Get it tested

If you notice your health is suffering make sure your home is radon-free by getting it tested

Watch paint dry

Make sure paint has properly dried before using the newly painted room

Crack it open

Dry your washing outside, otherwise make sure your windows are open if you have no other option

Time for a change

If you have a shower curtain it is important to change it regularly. Avoid getting one which is made out of vinyl as the material harbours water and creates mould