Have you ever walked into a room feeling drained or invigorated? The ambiance of your physical environment can have a more profound impact on your mental and physical state than you may realize.

Research by environmental psychologist Roger Ulrich describes how patients can quickly recover from surgery when put in a room with a view of grove trees than those whose windows are facing plain brick walls.

Interestingly, these effects also translate to workspaces and academic settings. It's not just about aesthetics or personal preference—there's a strong psychological basis for why certain settings make us more productive and successful while others seem to sap our energy.

The colors on the walls, the natural light flooding in, or even the arrangement of furniture can all contribute to your mood and, consequently, your ability to focus and create. What's more, these factors can either boost or stifle your creativity, ultimately influencing your success in both personal and professional pursuits.
This article will discuss the environmental changes you can make to indirectly influence your mood, thoughts, and health so you can be at your best level and use it to drive your life in a positive direction.

Most people think their environment is just a matter of whether they find it visually pleasing. After all, shifting our focus elsewhere makes our immediate environment disappear. 

For example, the piles of paperwork at your desk or laundry lying around your room are hardly noticeable when you are not paying attention to them for a few weeks (for some, even months!).

However, just because your mind chooses not to consciously focus on your surroundings doesn't mean they are not being registered to your subconscious and taking a toll on your mental health.

Your mind reflects your surroundings and vice versa. A cluttered environment can clutter your thoughts and slow down your thinking process. In relation, people with many unsorted thoughts also tend to neglect their surroundings.

People who are depressed most likely don't have the energy and necessary motivation to clean, organize their rooms, or even open a window to let the light and air in. Ironically, light, fresh air, and a clean environment are necessary to keep your mood high. This creates a vicious cycle of poor environment leading to mental health deterioration.

Poor air quality can lead to fatigue and headaches, impacting cognitive functions like focus and memory. 

Investing in an air purifier is a straightforward way to enhance air quality. These devices can filter out common pollutants like dust, pollen, pet dander and more harmful particles like smoke and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 

For a more natural approach, consider incorporating plants into your living space. Not only do they act as natural air purifiers, but they also offer a psychological boost by providing a sense of connection to nature.

The simple act of opening windows to allow for air exchange can significantly reduce indoor pollutants. Better yet, fresh air carries more oxygen, elevating mood and cognitive function. 

Improved air quality is not just about removing the 'bad' but also about encouraging the 'good,' offering a dual pathway to enhance your emotional and mental state.

Clean, purified water not only hydrates but is also free from the adverse effects of contaminants. Water pollution can happen when contaminants enter the water source, potentially becoming a major risk for health and transmission of diseases.

When stressed, your heart rate and breathing rise, leading to fluid loss. Dehydration, in turn, raises your cortisol levels, making you even more stressed. Furthermore, the hypothalamus controls both thirst and hunger. When you lack fluid, your hypothalamus can get mixed signals, making you feel uncomfortably hungry and forcing you to seek unhealthy carbs and fats. 

In general, adequate hydration can give more energy and optimize brain performance. It helps flush out toxins and bacteria from the body and helps deal with headaches and depression symptoms.

Drink at least 8 glasses of water each day. A good practice is to start your day with a glass of water and end your day with another glass. Studies have shown dehydration causes people to feel uncomfortably cold or hot during bedtime. Drinking water before sleeping can optimize sleep quality and maintain optimal body temperature.

On average, you spend 30-40% of your day resting in bed. Investing in your sleep routine, especially in your mattress, is crucial. Your bed should allow you to relax and recover from the daily stress of life physically and mentally.

A medium-firm mattress promotes proper spinal alignment, relieves muscle tension, and improves sleep quality. 

According to a 2015 study, people who use memory foam with medium firmness fall asleep faster and experience fewer body aches. 

In some studies, researchers prefer latex foam over memory foam because latex foam puts less peak pressure on the muscles, helping you stay in a comfortable sleeping position throughout the night.

While light is essential for productivity and mood elevation during waking hours, the opposite is true when the sun goes down. Switching off or dimming the lights as you prepare for bed can help signal your body that it's time to relax and rejuvenate, thereby improving the quality of your sleep and overall well-being.

Exposure to bright lights at night can disrupt your circadian rhythm—the natural internal process that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. This disruption can lead to poor sleep quality, affecting your mood, stress levels, and even your cognitive functions the next day.

How you sleep is how you wake up. If you sleep poorly at night, you'll wake up tired and likely lack the drive to conquer the day.

By consciously reducing light exposure during the evening, you support your body's natural processes and rhythms.

During the day, exposure to natural light helps stimulate the production of serotonin, a hormone that boosts mood and helps you feel calm and focused. A lack of natural light can lead to feelings of depression and lethargy, throwing off your productivity and even your emotional well-being.

Incorporating ample natural light into your environment is more than just an aesthetic choice—it's a form of biohacking for improved mental and physical health. Studies have shown that office workers with more exposure to natural light during the day sleep better at night, are more physically active, and report a higher quality of life compared to those who don't have this exposure

In summary, the quality of your physical environment—from air and water to lighting conditions—directly and substantially impacts your emotional well-being, productivity, and overall health.

By making conscious changes, such as improving air and water quality or optimizing light exposure, you're not just enhancing your surroundings; you're biohacking your way to a better, happier, and more successful life. Small shifts can yield significant benefits, enabling you to perform at your peak and feel your best every day.