A healing environment is a necessity in a modern fast-paced world where people are constantly exposed to new challenges. The word “healing” can be defined as “to make whole” (“What is a healing environment?,” n.d.). Hence, healing is the process of regenerating one’s energy, both physician and mental, to help an individual be in harmony with themselves. Being healed is different from being cured, since the latter implies that some condition or disease was eliminated, while the former means being in peace with oneself, even if a person has illnesses or other problems (“What is a healing environment?,” n.d.). Consequently, healing is linked to the reduction of stress or anxiety an individual may feel.
The tiniest elements of one’s environment, such as light, quality of air, colors, and surrounding objects, can contribute to healing (“What is a healing environment?,” n.d.). Since these items are a part of a person’s environment, they can change and adjust them to contribute to healing. This text will review the importance of a healing environment, its contribution to the wellbeing of people and address three strategies I will use to create this environment.
Definition of a Healing Environment, Examples, and Importance
Creating a healing environment is essential because it allows a person to restore their energy and deal with stress. Arguably, the everyday things people face contribute to their stress, for example, the work arrangements, assignments, the need to pay one’s bills, and other problems. This has a negative effect on mental and physical health. For example, those who face constant stress may develop headaches, pain that is no linked to a biological condition, depression, or other illness (Koh, 2018). As a person ages, these stress factors and the effect they have on their health worsen, contributing to chronic diseases and a sense of unhappiness. One example of creating a healing environment is technology use since a lot of stress and anxiety comes from my smartphone and constant notifications. Studies show that although technology is beneficial for society’s development, it has several adverse effects on people’s mood and wellbeing (Ertilav et al., 2018). This is why some researchers recommend putting the phone away several hours before sleep. A proper sleep schedule is also essential because, during nighttime, the brain and other biological systems are restored (Boccabella & Malouf, 2017). Hence, a person can take small steps such as putting away their smartphone a few hours before sleep and ensuring that they get at least seven hours of rest each night to help them heal. For me, a healing environment can help relieve the stress I feel due to work and education obligations. Especially during the midterms, I often feel that I exhaust myself and have to spend a lot of time to restore my mental wellbeing afterward. Since I have experienced this exhaustion before, I have tried to use some strategies to adjust to my environment when I study. For example, I purchased a few plants for my room and moved my desk to the window to have more light. Other changes I tried did not work, and for example, I could not limit my exposure to laptop screens since I studied for long hours until I went to bed. Thus, the first step in creating a healing environment is getting to know personal 3 preferences better. For some people, active sports can be healing experiences where they the best, while others may prefer to look at art objects to relax their minds. With this, one can conclude that experimenting when trying to find the best healing strategy is the best option.
My Perception & Ideas
Three things I can do to create a healing environment include:
- Sketching during my free time
- Exploring local art exhibitions
- Taking walks in the park/forest
This will help create a more healing and relaxing environment for me. Sketching is a form of art therapy, which is drawing without the use of color. I recently began to learn how to sketch, and I enjoy this process because it helps shift the focus from the daily problems towards the picture I am working on. Moreover, I can draw during breaks or on my way home because I only need a sketchbook and a pen, which makes this strategy very useful. Finally, I find that hanging my sketches on the walls of my room brings me joy and also helps me relax, which is why I want to visit local art exhibitions. The other strategy for a healing environment is taking walks since I find that I spend most of my time indoors.
Conclusion
In summary, a healing environment is vital for modern people since they live in conditions that subject that to stress on a daily basis. Healing means being in harmony with one’s mind and body, and every individual has the power to adjust their environment to support healing. Moreover, a healing environment can be different for people, depending on the things they enjoy, such as sports, reading, art, or others. Hence, when creating a healing environment, experimenting is a must to identify the things that help restore calmness and energy. For me, a healing environment includes the ability to sketch in my free time, visit art exhibitions, and take long walks in the park
References
Boccabella, A. & Malouf, J. (2017). How do sleep-related health problems affect functional status according to sex? JCSM, 13(5), 1-10.
Ertilav, K., Uslusoy, F., Ataizi, S., & Nazıroğlu, M. (2018). Long term exposure to cell phone frequencies (900 and 1800 MHz) induces apoptosis, mitochondrial oxidative stress and TRPV1 channel activation in the hippocampus and dorsal root ganglion of rats. Metabolic Brain Disease, 33(3), 753-763.
Koh, K. B. (2018). Stress and somatic symptoms. Springer. Pixabay. (n.d.). Web.
What is a healing environment? (n.d.). 2021, Web.