Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own. There’s a common notion that health begins at home. And it isn’t far wrong.
Where we spend most of our time can affect how we feel tremendously. But it turns out that living at home isn’t always good for us. While we might own a property, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is working in our interest.
The link between housing and health goes back centuries. Public health officials in the 1800s knew that crowded tenement buildings in the big cities led to the spread of infections like tuberculosis. Later, public health officials noted the problems with large tower blocks and how they failed to create healthy communities of people.
However, more recently, there’s been a scientific focus on specific aspects of individual homes. Researchers have looked into things like how maintenance, safety, and security play a role in providing the foundation of positive mental habits. Living in a beautiful, clean location is often all that’s required to improve someone’s mood.
On the flip side, poor housing is associated with conditions like asthma and mental health issues. When people live in low-quality environments, it changes how their bodies respond to the world, often leading to chronic disease. Of course, the research is still in its infancy and there aren’t any definitive answers.
But the link between low-quality housing and well-being now seems too strong for anyone to ignore. To the outside observer, the .