A Conducive Space

How Your Home Can Encourage Good Habits

Drink a full glass of water. Move. Have something to look forward to. Create a welcoming environment, or an enlivening space — sunlight, dim light, aromas of mint, bergamot, grapefruit, ginger. Wake up at the same time every day.

If I still made New Years Resolutions, giving up the snooze button would top the list. Most of the year, my mornings start in darkness. May until early August things feel as they should. The sun encourages my brain’s circadian rhythm. Waking happens without much effort. I feel energetic throughout the day.

Keeping the lights low and warm toned help the body wake up gradually. It feels more pleasant. When you're renovating, install dimmable switches, and use warm lightbulbs. Look for a colour temperature of 2,300-2,700K

The rest of the year, the snooze button wins. Good feelings are replaced with lethargy, lack of focus and guilt. “Insufficient sleep is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, including obesity, type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, injuries, depression and reduced overall well-being” Between 2007-2013