Even when I got home, I couldn't rest. How I changed the way I get tired by rethinking the "amount of stimulation in my room" as an introvert.
I want you to remember the moment you got home and closed the door.
Did you feel relieved?
Or was there still some kind of restlessness?
I was always the latter.
Even though I was home, my head wouldn't relax.
Even though it should have been quiet, I couldn't shake off the fatigue.
Even though I was alone, I couldn't find rest.
At first, I thought it might be because "I hadn't cleaned up" or something similar.
But the cause seemed to be the "amount of stimulation" in the room.
For someone who loves being alone, a room was a "recovery device"
Extroverts get energized by talking to others.
But introverts regain their energy during time alone.
It's a difference in the mechanism of the nervous system.
Nerves exhausted outside need to enter "recovery mode" after returning home.
Whether or not you can recover properly changes everything: your energy for the next day, the quality of your work, and your emotional stability.
In other words, for an introvert, a room is not something to make stylish as a hobby, but a place that should function for recovery.
Before I realized this, I was worried, "Why can't I get rid of my fatigue even when I'm home?"
The first thing I re-evaluated was "sound"
When you get home, you turn on the TV first.
I think many people grew up in households like that.
I understand the feeling that "silence is lonely" or "it's more relaxing to have background music."
But for me, that was exhausting.
The feeling of being overwhelmed the moment I turned on the TV on my way home after talking to someone for a long time.
The feeling of trying to work while playing YouTube, but not being able to focus at all.
I thought I might be too sensitive.
But an introvert's nervous system processes a large amount of information.
Sound is a stimulus that the brain keeps processing regardless of whether you are conscious of it or not.
The voices from the TV playing unconsciously, the kitchen exhaust fan, the sounds of daily life from the next room, the notification sounds on your smartphone.
They are all "small sounds," but when they pile up, they continue to put a subtle strain on your nerves.
What I tried was not playing anything for 30 minutes immediately after getting home.
At first, I felt a little restless.
But once I got used to it, the silence brought with it the feeling of "I'm finally home."
I was always tense in the "white light"
Under the white light of fluorescent lamps, for some reason, I was always on edge.
Even at night, my head couldn't get out of "work mode."
Does that ring a bell?
The color temperature of the lighting is related.
Daylight-colored LEDs (bluish-white light) contain many wavelengths that stimulate the brain.
They are suitable for work during the day, but if you are exposed to that light all night, your nerves judge that you are "still active" and cannot relax.
I tried changing the lighting in my living room and bedroom to bulb color (warm, orange-tinted light).
On the night I changed it,
I thought, "Oh, I feel like the tension in my shoulders has eased."
Using indirect lighting was even more effective.
Just by not having light enter my eyes directly, the visual fatigue is completely different.
Some people might think, "I can't work if it's dark."
That is true, and you can just place a separate light on your desk to illuminate your hands.
The important thing is to know that you don't have to brightly illuminate the entire room.
My brain couldn't rest in a room with too much information
You get tired when there are too many things.
The brain unconsciously processes everything in your field of vision as information.
Stacked books, miscellaneous goods on the table, the contents of storage left open, colorful packaging.
Even if you think you aren't "looking at them," your brain is processing them properly.
Especially for people with ADHD tendencies, visual information distracts their attention, so the "fatigue from a cluttered room" is more likely to appear strongly.
What's even more troublesome is the phenomenon that you get tired even from "things you like".
Hobby goods, collected cosmetics, postcards you want to display.
Even though I like them all, they are processed as information when they enter my field of vision.
I gradually switched to "hidden storage."
You only need to look at the things you like when you take them out.
When I reduced the things I could see, I felt like my mind became a little quieter.
Checklist: "Am I unconsciously exhausting myself in my room?"
The lighting is daylight-colored and glaring
Notification sounds are always going off somewhere
There are too many things in my field of vision
I also work in the place where I rest
I am prioritizing "looking good" over "being relaxing" when creating my room
How many did you check?
I prioritized "being able to recover" over "being stylish"
The rooms I see on social media are all beautiful.
Hotel-like rooms based on white, spaces where houseplants are neatly lined up, photogenic shelves.
For a while, I tried to imitate that too.
White walls, neatly arranged items, and of course, clear and bright lights.
I couldn't relax.
That's no surprise, as those types of rooms are designed to "charm the viewer."
"Looking good" is a space that uses outward-facing energy.
But what introverts need is time directed inward.
It's a "room not shown to others" for recovering one's own nerves.
Once I was able to think that I only needed to tidy up when I had guests, I felt much more at ease.
It's okay for a room to exist for yourself.
Things I actually changed
Since I've been talking in abstract terms, I'll write about it concretely.
Lighting
I changed the living room and bedroom to warm-colored LEDs.
I added a dimmable light just for my desk.
Sound
I made it a habit to have silence for 30 minutes after getting home.
While working, I only play music when necessary. Notifications are basically off.
Visual information density
I limited the items kept on the table to three or fewer.
I increased the amount of 'hidden' storage and switched to cabinets with doors.
Color
I unified the curtains and rug to beige and off-white tones.
Just by reducing the number of colors, my eyes feel less restless.
Furniture layout
I changed the orientation of my desk. By facing the wall, the information entering my field of vision dropped drastically.
Scent
I started burning aroma oil when I get home.
Unlike visual stimulation, scent works directly to calm the brain.
Around the bed
I moved everything that reminds me of tasks away from where I sleep.
Books and planners are now out of sight from the bed.
If you're only going to change three things first, start here
Make the light warm-colored(Change the lighting, or use indirect lighting only at night)
Reduce the amount of visual information(Try clearing everything off the table once)
Stop the constant background noise(For a while after getting home, don't play anything)
Just with these three things, the physical sensation changes quite a bit.
A room where you can recover improves the quality of your life a little.
I now believe that creating an environment where you are less likely to be worn out was more important than changing how hard you try.
There was a time when I thought, 'If only I were stronger' or 'If only I were less sensitive.'
But the characteristics of your nervous system cannot be rewritten by willpower.
If that's the case, it's more realistic to design a space where your nerves are less likely to be exhausted.
A room is a place you return to every day.
Whether it's a day when things didn't go well at work, a day when you're tired of human relationships, or a day when you feel an inexplicable sadness, you always come back.
Whether that place is a 'place where you can recover' affects your life more than you might think.
It's not about 'I can't rest unless my room is tidy,' but rather
'adjusting the amount of stimulation so my nerves can rest.'
With that slight shift in perspective,
the weight of daily life might change a little.
I hope that those who are quietly exhausted
can recover, even if just a little.
In this note, I share information from the perspective of someone who is introverted and highly sensitive, so they can survive without being overly exhausted. I write this while incorporating my knowledge as a certified social insurance labor consultant and career consultant.
If you like it, please follow me so you can receive the next article.
🔰 For first-time visitors
▶︎ How to navigate this note—a summary of popular articles and magazines
■ Related articles