We’ve all heard the adage that a person’s home is their castle, and that implies that a home is a sanctuary, a space that provides shelter and safety. Even if our homes aren’t besieged by raiders, there are more insidious forces that can threaten our well-being, such as chronic stress.
Perhaps caregivers know better than anyone how quickly stress can wear a person down, and this is recognized by mental health experts. As licensed clinical psychologist Dr. David Susman notes about caregiving in Psychology Today, “the tasks involved require long hours, physical stamina, sustained concentration, and emotional investment.”
A caregiver may not find many opportunities to get away for any extended period of time, which is why it might make sense to create a sanctuary-type space within one’s home. This space can be tailored to the specific preferences of the caregiver, providing a haven that they can escape to for even 10 minutes at a time.
Creating a sanctuary
There isn’t one set way that someone’s sanctuary space has to be or look. “I think it can look very different to each person, based on their needs and lifestyle,” says interior designer Christy Maser. “The most important element in making a space feel like a sanctuary is that it reflects the homeowner’s personality.”
A sanctuary space could be a small sitting area off a bedroom, or a bedroom turned into a library. But it doesn’t have to be an indoor space at all. It could be a porch with a bed swing that looks out over the trees in the backyard. Or it could be an outdoor garden with a small walking path.
Designing a sanctuary could be an expensive endeavor, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. Christy suggests that if there are no budget limits, new furniture that gives the user a sense of comfort would be ideal. But she also notes that color is one of the fastest ways to shift how a space feels. “Different color palettes support different emotions,” she says.
Taking inspiration from nature can also help in limited spaces. If a caregiver loves the outdoors but doesn’t have the ability to create a lush garden, creating a small indoor nook filled with plants and natural elements such as handwoven baskets, or adding some foliage wallpaper, could provide a sense of relaxation.
Even if you can’t create an entire designated space, putting together a small coping box or basket can be a mood-lifter. “Put in a favorite lotion with a relaxing scent, photos of places or people that make you smile, a fidget or puzzle book, a candle, and pair this box with music you like, [and it] can change your mood in about 15 minutes,” says Louisville psychologist Dr. Alex Pruitt.
How to use your sanctuary
Having a sanctuary space works best when a caregiver uses it intentionally, says Dr. Tyler Tims, psychologist at Eastern Kentucky University Counseling Center. “Intentionality is the key behind it — taking intentional time to focus on yourself,” he says. But he adds that keeping that space protected is also critical. Just as we are encouraged to only use our beds for sleeping to ensure higher-quality sleep, keeping a sanctuary space just for relaxation helps our bodies tune in to calmness when we are in that space. “If someone is to create a sanctuary space in their home, the hope is that it is a protected space where [you] don’t do other things,” Dr. Tims says.
By Carrie Vittitoe
P.S. You may also enjoy Fire Up Your Wellness.
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