Healthy Home Guide 101

While diet, exercise, and sleep are fundamental to your overall health, it's also important to address the space where you likely spend most of your time: your home.

Depending on your type of dwelling (a whole house, a small apartment, a room), your living space may require a lot or very little upkeep. Regardless of where you live, there are key aspects to look at in order to create and maintain a healthy home.

Here, we break down the most important ways to keep your home safe and healthy, as recommended by experts.

Every home should have safety features that not only keep the structure itself intact, but also make it a clean place to breathe in. Refer to the following a checklist as you assess the safety of your own home.

First, it's important to address the air you breathe inside. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAI), 50 percent of homes are thought to have at least six allergens detectable in the air. These include dust mites, mold, pet dander, and cockroach droppings.

While it's a good idea to keep your home ventilated whenever possible, extreme heat and cold, along with outdoor allergens and air pollution, may make it difficult to keep your windows open. Here are some other ways to control allergens in your home for better indoor air quality:

While it's important to have a fire escape plan, you can also prevent fires from even starting. According to the American Red Cross, home fires are most prevalent during the colder winter months, with an estimated 5,000 homes affected in January 2020 alone.

They suggest preventing fires in your own home with the following steps:

Another way to prevent structural damage is to keep termites away from your home. According to the University of Kentucky, you may be able to deter termites by keeping moisture away from your home through the use of downspouts, and by not letting firewood or construction materials accumulate next to the structure. When in doubt, you or your landlord can call a pest management company to assess the situation — and treat the structure if necessary.

According to the National Institute on Aging, about 60 percent of all falls happen at home. This is because we spend a large amount of time at home, and we naturally let our guard down there, moving around distractedly without thinking about safety.

The institute suggests the following tips to prevent falls and potentially serious injuries.

Healthy home maintenance means getting rid of indoor allergens, cleaning regularly, and occasionally disinfecting common surfaces. Cleaning your bedding, floors, and carpets, as discussed above, is also part of managing indoor allergens, per the AAAAI.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular cleanings remove not only dirt, but germs, such as norovirus. Disinfection, on the other hand, may be necessary if you or another member of your household is sick.

The agency recommends cleaning the following areas often:

Cleaning involves scrubbing with soap and water, while sanitization reduces germs with the help of sprays or products that contain small amounts of bleach, according to the CDC. Always clean surfaces to remove dirt and debris before sanitizing.

Occasionally, you may need to disinfect common surfaces in your home. The CDC recommends disinfecting surfaces if there's someone in your household who is sick, or if you need to protect a household member who may be immunocompromised.

As with sanitizing, you’ll want to clean surfaces before disinfecting them, as the CDC suggests. But unlike sanitizing, disinfection involves the use of stronger chemicals that kill viruses, bacteria, and other germs. Follow all product labels carefully, and make sure your room is well ventilated before you use disinfectants. When you’re done, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Once you’ve guarded your home from harm, it's time to stock up on healthy essentials you can use daily. This includes first-aid supplies, food items, cookware, and textiles.

Consider each aspect of your home below to see if you have the right essentials.

Aside from soaps and bathing supplies, Texas A&M University recommends that every home have the following medicine cabinet items on hand.

Dietary needs and preferences vary by person, and factors like a health condition or food sensitivities affect what a healthy diet looks like for you. But here's a general list of basic food items that can appear in a well-stocked pantry or kitchen, according to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

Additionally, you can stock your refrigerator with fresh items, such as eggs, low-fat dairy products, and fruits and vegetables. In the freezer, consider storing meats, poultry, breads, and frozen produce.

The way you store foods once you have them on hand is just as important. Because of increased exposure to harmful ingredients in various plastics, it's important to look for wrappers, containers, and cans that are free of bisphenol A (BPA). According to the CDC's National Biomonitoring Program, the health effects of BPA in limited exposure are unknown, but higher exposure may have adverse effects on your reproductive system.

Until more is known about the potential dangers of BPA, it's crucial to reduce your exposure in both drinking water and the foods you eat. You can look for BPA-free storage items, including bottles and containers, or opt for glass food storage containers when possible.

Aside from BPA in food items and packaging, you may also consider avoiding potentially harmful substances in the clothing you wear and the bedding you sleep in. These include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, PFAS may potentially harm your health by:

Since these risks vary depending on exposure, you may consider using only PFAS-free textiles in your home. According to the Environmental Working Group, you can find bedding and clothing, as well as carpets, furniture, and personal care products that are free of PFAS.

Another aspect of a healthy home is peace. The National Institute of Mental Health says that chronic stress increases your risk of developing anxiety and depression, as well as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. By minimizing stress in your home environment, you'll be able to recover mentally while in this space.

First, you may consider designating a space in your home exclusively for relaxing activities. This may be a whole separate room, or you may keep your bedroom free of electronic devices so you have a relaxing space to retreat to. For the best results, schedule regular time to relax each day.

Regularly removing clutter from your home can also enhance your mental health and well-being. Specifically, removing clutter may reduce anxiety and promote relaxation, per Utah State University. What's more, a study published in the April 2020 Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services noted that older adults who were able to declutter experienced less stress and increased feelings of control over their living environments. To get started, the Mayo Clinic recommends setting aside 10 to 15 minutes each day to put items in their designated places. You can also take this time to get rid of any items you don't need, such as junk mail or empty boxes.

If you want to take your goal of achieving a more peaceful home to another level, consider the principles of feng shui. According to the National Geographic Society, feng shui originated in ancient China, but the practice has gradually garnered more interest in Western societies. Feng shui is considered an art, and involves placing objects within a space in a way that encourages peace and balance. For example, you may consider arranging seats in your home to face one another to foster healthy communication.

Finally, a peaceful living environment should also promote sleep hygiene. The CDC defines sleep hygiene as the good habits that lead to better sleep, such as the following:

Whether you rent or own a studio apartment, a town house, or a stand-alone house, there are basic principles that everyone can follow to maintain a safe and healthy home. These include preserving indoor air quality, preventing fires and falls, regularly cleaning your space, stocking your home with nutritious foods and helpful supplies, and creating an environment as free as possible from stressors.

While you may choose to go beyond the necessities outlined in this guide, you can consider the above information as a checklist for yourself and other members of your household. You can also talk with your doctor if you have any specific health concerns that might benefit from a healthier home.

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