Tired all the time? Experts discover the specific items in your home that could be to blame
One in eight of us report being ‘tired all the time’ to doctors—and there could a surprising cause, experts have discovered.
There is mounting evidence that the interior design of your home and even choice of furnishings could be to blame.
There’s even a name for the phenomenon: sick building syndrome—where a range of symptoms, from fatigue to runny noses, are triggered by being in a particular building.
Other common problems linked to sick building syndrome include dry eyes, headaches and sore throats, which improve when the person leaves the location.
Poor ventilation, airborne pollutants—emitted by carpets, furniture and cleaning products—mold or damp, inadequate lighting or heating are all implicated.
Meanwhile poorly laid out, cramped conditions and even clutter can trigger psychological distress, leading to the symptoms.
Sick building syndrome mainly affects those in open plan offices, but scientists now warn your own home could also be contributing.
Now, experts have suggested exactly why your old furniture, choice of lighting and even your scented candles could be impacting your energy levels.
Ditch the big overhead light
Lighting real does ‘set the mood’—it can have a powerful effect on how we feel, scientists say.
Overhead lights—especially cold, fluorescent ones—can be harsh on the eyes and draining over time.
Most LED bulbs emit blue light but while environmentally friendly, this kind of lighting can create sharp contrasts and shadows, which can strain vision.
In the evening, it can signal to your body that it’s still time to be alert, throwing off your natural wind-down process, contributing to physical and mental exhaustion.
One study by Harvard researchers compared the effects of 6.5 hours of exposure to blue light compared to green light — which has a longer wavelength.
Writing in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, they found blue light suppressed the hormone melatonin for roughly twice as long as the green light.
Melatonin is produced naturally in the body and plays a crucial role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle.
Instead, experts suggest installing dimmer switches allowing you to control the brightness of lights, or investing in lamps.
Sleep technology firm Simba said: ‘Without the right support you may have trouble drifting off, and your mattress could cause pain in your back and neck’
Beware of old mattresses
An old or unsupportive mattress can quietly wreak havoc on your body.
You may think you’re getting a full night’s sleep, but if you’re tossing and turning or waking up stiff, the body isn’t able to recharge instead leaving you fatigued.
Mattress firm Simba said: ‘Without the right support you may have trouble drifting off, and your mattress could cause pain in your back and neck.
‘This won’t just cause you problems at night, either, as you’ll most likely wake up feeling sore, stiff and still very tired.’
Charity The Sleep Council advise changing a mattress every seven to eight years to prevent such issues.
Health professionals have long advised Brits get at least seven hours of sleep every night and to go to bed and wake up at the same times every day.
Much like a toddler’s naps, sleep will be better when it’s consistent.
Experts say that waking up during the night does not necessarily mean you have insomnia, which figures suggest affects up to 14million Brits.
Exposure to fragranced products, even at low levels, has been associated with various adverse health effects
Sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, memory loss, diabetes, heart disease, heightened and unstable emotions, impaired ability to learn and a reduced immune response, leaving you vulnerable to disease
Switch up your scented candles
Scented candles are popular for creating a calming ambience—but they also release indoor air pollutants that, even at low levels, have been linked to respiratory problems.
When burned, scented candles emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and formaldehyde, both recognised carcinogens.
Research also indicates that burning scented candles can significantly elevate indoor levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sometimes exceeding World Health Organisation guidelines.
These fine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, potentially exacerbating respiratory conditions and increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Furthermore, certain scented candles contain phthalates, chemicals used to prolong fragrance longevity.
Phthalates are known hormone disruptors and have been linked to reproductive health issues and developmental problems.
Ditch the curtains
Light exposure during the day—or lack of it—could also be throwing off your body’s natural rhythms, triggering drowsiness.
For those who live in houses with limited daylight, experts have long recommended light therapy lamps as one way to help realign their circadian rhythm.
Your light exposure during the day could also be throwing off your body’s natural rhythms triggering drowsiness
This is the body’s in-built ‘clock’, which regulates our sleeping a waking cycles.
Professor Russell Foster, a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford and one of the world’s most renowned experts on circadian rhythms, also told MailOnline: ‘Light is critically important for setting the body clock. Morning light helps you get up earlier.’
Equally, one US study found that office workers with more exposure to natural light as opposed to overhead lighting had longer sleep duration, better sleep quality and better quality of life, compared to those who did not.
Employees with windows in the workplace received 173 percent more white light exposure during work hours and slept an average of 46 minutes more per night than those in windowless offices, scientists at Northwestern University in Illinois, said.
Cut back on home appliance overuse
From the food mixer to the tumble dryer, homes are filled with a cacophony of sounds.
But research suggests this noise could be making us ill by causing two in five people to suffer from higher stress levels.
Some of the worst offending products are our most essential such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 40 per cent of Europe’s population is exposed to noise levels in excess of 55dB—about the same level of a noisy office.
Research suggests noise from home appliances could be making us ill by causing two in five people to suffer from higher stress levels
The average washing machine has a recorded sound level of 70dB, refrigerators average at around 50dB refrigerator while in some instances food processors can reach up to 90dB.
Stephen Stansfeld, a professor of psychiatry at London’s Queen Mary University, said: ‘When we’re exposed to a lot of noise, our heart rate goes up, blood pressure rises.
‘Research shows this can lead to an increase in fatigue, stress, heart attacks or even stroke.’
Air it out
Scented candles aren’t the only source of VOCs.
According to Dr Prashant Kumar, of the University of Surrey, other sources include ‘cooking, paints and varnishes and fungal spores’.
These combine to mean ‘the air we breathe indoors is often more polluted than that outside’.
Evidence shows this particulate matter can trigger short term health effects like fatigue and ‘coughing and sneezing, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs’, she added.
Cutting these sources of pollution or increasing indoor ventilation can also slash the risk of longer term conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis and even lung cancer.
The solution, experts say, lies in reducing sources of indoor pollution and improving airflow.
Simple steps like opening windows regularly, using extractor fans when cooking, choosing low-emission products, and avoiding synthetic fragrances can significantly improve air quality and reduce health risks over time.
