What Are The Health Benefits of Moving Home?

Moving to a new home is usually an extremely stressful time, although thankfully that stress and anxiety are normally short-lived.

Most people move home to improve a certain aspect of their life, be it to have more room, less commuting time, or a better job for example.

So that short period of stress and upheaval is regarded as a small price to pay for the long-term benefits of moving home.

And whilst having more space or a garden are obvious benefits, what is often not so immediately obvious are the health benefits of moving to a new place.

Of course, if you are moving home because of bad neighbours, your anxiety and stress levels will improve instantly and that will be a huge benefit to your mental health, but that scenario aside, how else could your health improve when you move home?

In this week’s home moving blog, we look at whether moving home is good for your health and the positive effects that moving home has on your physical and mental well-being.

Is Moving Home Good for You? What the Academics Say…..

There have been many studies over the years as to the positive and negative impacts on your health when moving home.

But it is complicated because of all the different factors that contribute to why someone would be moving home.

That said, there are some conclusions from these studies that would correlate to what most of us would consider a better and healthier lifestyle that can be attributed to moving to a better home or location.

So here are some health benefits for home movers that various studies have found over the years which many people will find would apply to them.

#1 Where You Live May Affect Your Weight

We all know that being overweight is not good for our health, and a study by Antwan Jones of The George Washington University found that “In sum, although moving in itself does not predict gaining or losing weight, the destination matters. Moving to another locale with the same social characteristics and facilities as the former neighborhood has little effect on people’s weight. But when urban people manage to move from an area with little infrastructure to one with safer conditions and better opportunities for recreation, then the risk of becoming obese goes down significantly”.  

There is also the theory that if you move to a new home with a better kitchen you will be more inclined to cook at home more, thereby improving your diet.

And if your new home has a garden then you are likely to want to grow salads and vegetables which again will help improve your diet and give you some physical exercise.

In this report from www.sciencedirect.com on the health benefits of home gardening, the actual pleasure people got from gardening was also a key factor in improving their general health and wellbeing and this increased as the size of their garden increased.    

Moving to the seaside, to the countryside, or where there are more parks or gyms will encourage you to lead a more active lifestyle which will improve your mental and physical wellbeing.

Additionally, moving home is an ideal time to start a new hobby or nurture good habits. Bad habits can be formed and triggered subconsciously.

For example, if you keep the biscuit tin next to the kettle, every time you boil the kettle you may grab a biscuit or two without even thinking about it.

However, in your new home, you may move the biscuit tin into a cupboard which may break this habit.

You may also like to read: How to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle During a Home Move. With so much to do and so much stress during a home move, it is easy to let your healthy lifestyle slip and not pay as much attention to your well-being as you should. In this guide, we offer some tips for looking after yourself during a home move.

#2 Natural Light Improves Your Wellbeing

Moving to a bigger home often means larger windows, and more of them, and therefore more natural light pouring into your home.

Being exposed to sunlight has a number of health benefits according to www.healthline.com including helping to stave off depression, boosting your vitamin D levels, and improving sleep.

And if you are lucky enough to be moving to a more rural area or just a place with a better view from your windows, then this will help improve your well-being too.

#3 Modern Homes Are Being Designed for Your Wellbeing

Many newly built homes are designed with the comfort and well-being of the occupiers in mind.

From the colour schemes to soundproofing, from stimulating living spaces to windows that maximise the light and views, each aspect of a home is designed to the smallest detail.

A study by the UK Green Building Council proposed a number of things to promote the mental, social, and physical health and well-being of people living in brand-new homes.

Of course, the area in which you live will also have an impact upon your health and wellbeing so many developers are being encouraged to pay attention to this aspect of the environment too.

New build developments will have outdoor recreational spaces, neighbourhoods that encourage walking and cycling, and that have excellent public transport to cut down on car usage and thereby improve air quality, as well as plenty of green open spaces.

You may also like to read: Moving Into a New Build Home – All You Need to Know. For many people, moving into a new-build home is a great idea, despite the bad press that new-build homes sometimes get. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of moving into a new-build home.

#4 Covid Recovery Linked to Healthy Homes

There is a very comprehensive study on www.health.org.uk into the benefits of living in a healthy home and how the condition and location of the home can affect your health.

The Covid pandemic highlighted just how crucial our homes and their location are to our wellbeing and this study investigates whether a decent home in a healthy location contributes to the prevention and recovery from Covid.

In summary, this report states that:

• People who own their own homes are generally healthier than those who are social renters
• The more overcrowded a home is the more you are likely to suffer psychological distress
• The more frequently you move, the less secure and stable children generally feel and the more likely you are to suffer health problems
• Debt problems will affect your mental health and those in privately rented accommodation are likely to be the worst affected
• Overcrowded homes played a key role in spreading Covid

You can read the full study at www.health.org.uk  

#5 Green Spaces are Important to Your Wellbeing

The Covid lockdowns highlighted just how important outside space is to us, hence the flocks of people moving to the countryside and coasts of the UK since then.

A study by Matthew White of the University of Exeter found that between 200-300 minutes a week spent in nature was conducive to good health and well-being.

Whilst a study in Canada found that planting just 10 trees locally had a huge positive impact on the perception of health and well-being of families living there.

Studies also found that the more people connected with nature the more likely they were to become more environmentally friendly.

You can read more about these studies and more about how green spaces are good for your physical and mental health at www.newscientist.com

Having a garden at home can also be beneficial to your health. It is said that just being outdoors can help alleviate anxiety and depression as well as being beneficial if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

You can learn more about the benefits of being outside in nature at www.mind.org.uk   

You may also be interested to read:

Many people choose to relocate overseas where the weather is better, life is less frantic and the quality of life is better. If you are considering moving abroad for a healthier lifestyle then you may like to read International Home Moves – The Ultimate Home Moving Challenge? In which we go through all the essential steps to ensure you have a successful international home move.

Having bad neighbours can have a very detrimental effect on your mental health and your quality of life and is one of the major reasons why many people choose to move home. In How to Deal With The Anxiety of New Neighbours we offer some tips on how to overcome the fears you may have about new neighbours.

How Does Moving Home Affect Mental Health?

What are the mental health benefits of moving home?

People tend to focus on the negative effects that moving home can have, the stress and anxiety being the obvious ones, but moving home can have a positive mental effect too.

#1 No Pain, No Gain

Whether you are moving home to better your life or are moving through no choice of your own, there is always going to be a certain amount of pain moving home.

You may be leaving a home you love, moving away from friends and family, or from a location that you are familiar with and comfortable with. All these things will change.

And as you organise your home move you will be going through many emotions and having a hundred different worries going through your head.

But moving day is just that, a day. Whatever the day throws at you, you will survive it and come out the other side a stronger and better person.

It takes time to adjust to a new home and new surroundings, but once you open yourself up to the opportunities that you are given, then a home move is nearly always beneficial in one way or another.

Life is a circle, good follows bad, bad follows good, that is just the way it is.

So once you accept that everything in life is temporary, that bad days or good days don’t last forever, then you can mentally accept a few hiccups along the way and learn to embrace the great times that come your way.

And as someone once said, if you don’t experience bad days how can you know when it is a good day?

You may also like to read: The Bright Side of Moving Home. There are many reasons for moving home and a new home offers you some exciting new opportunities. In this guide, we look at all the positive aspects of moving to a new home and how it can improve your life.

#2 You Can Break Bad Habits

One of the main mental health benefits of moving home is that it can help you break bad habits.

Bad habits tend to be triggered by stimuli around us.

For example, on your commute to work, you may have always passed a cake shop that you could not resist stopping at. Now you may have a different route or a new job, so that chain of events will be broken.

Your new kitchen may be laid out differently, so now the biscuit tin can be put in a not-so-easily accessible cupboard.

If you know something in your old home or old neighbourhood triggered a bad habit, a new home gives you a perfect and easy way to break that habit.

#3 A New Area Will Stimulate You

Moving to a new neighbourhood or new city can be very exciting if a little daunting.

Whilst you will be unfamiliar at first with the new area getting out and exploring it will stimulate you mentally.

You may get to experience new cultures, visit new places, taste foods you have never tried before, and even learn new words or adjust to a new dialect.

You will need to discover all the best local shops, schools, social venues, and places of interest, all of which will take you out of your comfort zone and into unknown territory.

Often we become bored and just too comfortable living in the same place for years on end, we need something new to invigorate and stimulate us.

But the process of learning about a new home and area will make you become inquisitive and will make you get out and about.

And as you learn more and experience new things, so you grow and improve mentally.

You may also like to read: Is Life Better in the Countryside, City, or Suburbs? In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of living in the city, the suburbs, or in the countryside.

#4 Meeting New People

One of the benefits of moving to a new place is that you get to meet new people. This opens you up to new experiences, to learn new social skills, and to alleviate loneliness.

All the time you are meeting new people it stimulates your mind, you are expanding your knowledge and improving as a person.

This can have a very positive effect on your mental health as you interact with others and expand your social circle.

#5 Physical Exercise is Good For Your Body and Mind

Moving home is hard physical work. But that is good for your body and mind.

As the Canadian Mental Health Association points out, exercise has numerous psychological benefits and is increasingly being prescribed to help treat many mental health issues.

So, if your new home has a garden or is near a beach, or more public parks, has more cycle paths or is in a more walkable area, then your physical and mental wellbeing are likely to improve.

#6 Moving Is a Great Time to Start a New Hobby

Having a hobby is a great mind stimulator as well as helping you expand your social circle.

And moving home is a great time to start a new hobby or join a group.

A new home is all about starting anew, freshening up your life and thereby your mind.

Most areas have societies and clubs that you could join, not only will you learn new skills but acquire lots of new friends too.

Volunteering is a particularly good way of ingratiating yourself with your new community as well as being mentally stimulating and rewarding for you.

#7 Remember Why You Are Moving Home

Moving home can be a very sad, emotionally draining time. This can lead to depression, anxiety, fear, and even resentment.

But try to focus on all the positive benefits of moving home, all the great new opportunities that will be presented to you, the new people you meet, the new places and experiences you will have, as well as a lovely new home.

The more you focus on all the great reasons why this home move makes sense, and all the ways your life will improve, the less likely you are to experience relocation depression.

You might like to read: What is The Fear of Moving and How to Overcome it? In this guide, we examine the fears of moving away from all that is familiar and the steps that you can take to make the transition to your new home less daunting.

How to Have a Stress-Free Home Move

Moving home is always an emotional time and is well-known as one of the most stressful events in a person’s life.

Often though, much of the stress is self-inflicted. We create scenarios in our mind to stress about, we imagine the worst but fail to plan what to do if that event ever did happen.

So for the sake of saving you any unnecessary anxiety and stress here are our top tips for a stress-free home move:

• Being well-organised and preparing for your home move well in advance of moving day will help alleviate a lot of the stress.
• Use a home moving checklist to ensure that you do not miss any essential tasks that have to be done.
• Declutter your home to reduce your home moving costs and to make your home move quicker and easier.
• Create a floor plan for your new home. Come moving day you don’t want the stress of finding that your sofa won’t fit through the doors or fit in the available space.
• Book your removal company as soon as you have a moving date. Don’t leave it to the last minute as the best removal companies get booked up quickly.
• Thoroughly research any removal company you are thinking of hiring. Whilst removal company scams are rare, shoddy removal companies are more common, so choose wisely.
• Read as many reviews as you can about any removal company you are thinking of hiring. Time spent now checking out the removal company could save you a lot of stress and anxiety in the future.
• Seriously consider hiring a professional packing team to pack your home. Packing for a home move is very time-consuming but a full-service removal company will pack and move your things far quicker, better, and safer than you doing it yourself.
• Creating a home moving binder will keep all the paperwork and important information organised and in one place.
• Use a change of address checklist so that you do not forget to let anyone know that you have moved.
• Have a plan B just in case things don’t go to plan on moving day. The more prepared you are for things going wrong, the less stressful it will be when things do go wrong.
• Take the time to say goodbye to your old home, family, and friends. This will help make the transition to your new life easier.

In our home moving blog, there is a wealth of information about every aspect of moving home with plenty of tips and money-saving ideas.

Take the time to browse the library of guides, it will make your home move easier, safer, and cheaper.