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SAY YES TO NESTING
As Emma Watson brings ‘nesting’ — staying at home instead of clubbing — back to fashion, we speak to experts about its health benefits
Pinterest researcher Larkin Brown recently told a health and lifestyle magazine that self-care searches are up by 121%. Brown was quoted as saying, “People are prioritising personal comfort, and a more casual approach to quality time with friends. ‘Girls’ night in’ is trending an upward of 35% year over year.”
Hollywood actor Emma Watson, too, talked about how she enjoys staying home more than partying out, which has brought focus to this rising lifestyle trend.
As per this trend, the habit of clubbing or generally heading out to have a good time is being highly replaced with plans to stay in or as they call it now — ‘nesting’.
City-based life coach and psychotherapist Neeta V Shetty, explains, “Nowadays, our day-to-day activities, work pressure and commuting leave us only with weekends to relax, chill, de-stress or socialise, party, etc. If a person chooses to sit at home in their own pad and zone, being what they want to be, doing just what they want to do, without getting out of the house or socialising is called nesting.” The plans may vary —reading a book in your bathtub, having coffee while watching your favourite TV show or just enjoying a cup of coffee with a loved one.
“Downtime or taking time off has become an important part of wellness and recovery. Nesting allows us to recover and recuperate within the walls of our own homes,” says Prameet Kotak, wellness expert.
A COPING MECHANISM
According to experts, nesting is a way to reach out to our inner needs. It is about making oneself comfortable in one’s own space, where one chooses to indulge in simple activities, ranging from selfcare techniques such as meditating or doing yoga at home. With the increasing levels of stress, there are also ways of coping with it and nesting being one of them as it has benefits similar to psychotherapy.
BENEFITS OF NESTING
Nesting is beneficial to both the pocket and the mind. It helps to de-stress, relax and calm down. It also helps us promote the feel good hormone oxytocin in our body and in reducing the cortisol levels, thus improving our immunity and mental health. It may also give us time to introspect, which can make us more productive. Nesting also allows us some me time, which is important for self-care and self-love. It may also help us to maintain a healthy diet, which goes for a toss when we are partying.
DON’T OVERDO IT
Experts say that balancing your time between socialising and nesting is imperative. Sometimes being alone may make us feel in control of our lives but it’s important that we don’t overdo anything. While nesting helps us de-stress but socialising is important for networking, to give us a sense of belonging, and in slowing down of cognitive degeneration, which is one of the reasons for Alzheimer’s and dementia.
In this fast-paced life, a calm and composed mind is the only factor that determines true happiness NAMRATA DAGIA, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST