Therapists share 8 things in your living room that could be causing you stress — and how to handle them

While bright, white furniture can look really beautiful.

Still, Wise said that giving your living room a "showroom feel" could stress visitors by making them feel like everything must stay clean.

"If the owner has created a showroom feel and seeks to maintain cleanliness at all times, it can be stressful for guests who want to get comfortable but fear creating stains or leaving dirt or marks that will definitely show," Wise said.

Wise said that rooms with insufficient lighting could make certain tasks hard to accomplish, while rooms with bright artificial lighting that can't be dimmed can make sleeping and relaxing difficult.

"It's important to consider the function of each room in your home and purchase lighting that helps achieve its purpose," Wise said. "Adding lamps, wall sconces, dimmers, or ceiling lights can help redefine a space that promotes stress."

Ahrens said she uses neutral tones and has plenty of sunlight in her home to keep calm and centered.

"While the research on color psychology is mixed, it appears depression is helped by white and green light," she said. 

Ahrens takes advantage of natural light in her living space and will "open windows and doors for fresh air whenever" weather permits.

Ahrens said noise is a common stressor, and it comes in many forms, including televisions and conversations.

"Not all noise is unpleasant or stressful. The idea here is to be more mindful of the quality and quantity," Ahrens said.

Loewen suggests turning off the TV when you're not watching and paying attention to how the noise of the TV makes you feel, "especially while watching the news."

If TV makes you feel stressed, Loewen recommends swapping it out for calming music.

Ahrens said that exposing yourself to visual technology can induce stress, especially if it's a lot in one space. 

Disorganization and clutter typically induce stress, Ahrens said.

And Wise agrees.

"A dirty space can signal chaos and discomfort to our bodies which in turn create stress and tension," she said. 

With televisions, speakers, and other electronic devices, living rooms are often home to loose wires and cords. "This can be visually disturbing for some people," Wise added.

Loewen previously told BI that clutter gives our minds more visual information to process.

"By freeing up space, you are giving your mind a break too," he said.

"Outdated decor or run-down furniture can bring down our spirits," Ahrens said.

For example, Ahrens said a run-down dining table might keep you from eating in that space often.

"If your living-room couch is old, dirty, or outdated, you may not feel as relaxed being in that space," Ahrens said.

"During this past year, when many people were working from home, it became very difficult for people to separate work from their personal life," Wallins told BI in 2021. "By creating a separate area where you work versus relax, you are not only creating a physical separation but a mental separation from the two."

Wallins added that separating work and chill environments could be tough when living in a small space.

"Even changing up the chair or table you sit in to work versus relax can make a big difference," she said.

An unfinished living room renovation could add to your stress.

"When we are surrounded by things that do not feel inviting or soothing or invokes some kind of a stress response, we tend to spend much less time in that space," Ahrens said.