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Our homes are meant to be sanctuaries from the world, but sometimes they can make us feel stressed or anxious, says Jo Carnegie. But with a few simple tweaks we can ensure they are calm, comforting places to relax and unwind in

Get your lighting right

Lighting can be one of the most overlooked things in a house but it can massively affect our mood.

Let in as much natural light as possible with minimal window coverings (do you really need those net curtains?) and try to think about different lighting for different rooms. Don’t switch the overhead light on in the evenings out of habit: it can be too bright and overstimulating and not great for a good night’s sleep. Lamps in corners are much more relaxing instead or go for dimmer switches.

Make sure your bedroom has sleep-friendly lights as bright lights suppress the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone).

Incandescent bulbs diffuse a soft white light but we recommend you give red a go! It might sound quite boudoir-esque, but red light waves have been shown to

Make focus points

As much as we may love ornaments and knickknacks, they can sometimes overwhelm our visual senses, leaving us feeling pressured to have a good clear out. But before you head for the local charity shop, think about regrouping things into focus points instead.

“You need focus points of interest so that it doesn’t look too busy and cluttered,” be more conducive to sleep, according to studies. The National Sleep Foundation suggests installing red (or even pink) bulbs in your bedroom, or just use a red bulb in nightlights or bedtime reading lamps.

■ says interior designer Cate St Hill, www.catesthill.com who offers design consultations on what she calls ‘therapy for the home’. “The eye needs some neutral space to break up all the stuff.” Cate suggests using a shelving system with your favourite things on, or clustering items together on different surfaces: nest tables, drinks trollies or an unused chair, for example.

Have a deep cleanse

“Our home is our castle and this is the place where we create balance, harmony and safety,” says Karen Heras-Kelly. Instead of your normal housework routine of vacuuming, dusting and polishing, Karen suggests looking at your environment with new eyes. “Where are the blockages, the dark and hidden corners that are without love or a bit of polish?” she says.

“Look under the beds, get rid of the old books on the floor and open your windows. If our home is cluttered, dirty, messy or without direction, it’s reflecting a piece of you, so it’s helpful to clean up and create a haven that translates into prosperity and feel-good energy.”