Welcome to the comfort zone! Finding comfort in our home is key to wellbeing. In this project, we will explore three elements that contribute to a comfortable home: lighting, gaming and the physical and psychological aspects of comfort. By optimizing your homes comfort you can transform your house into a peaceful sanctuary that promotes happiness. It’s time to make your home your personal Zen zone.
Finding comfort in gaming, how can it be done?
-Stephanie c:
Finding comfort is important and there are numerous ways to do it, including through hobbies, but how so? Of course, it depends on your personal interest, capabilities, resources and hobbies. In this particular post, I will help you achieve comfort through playing video games, we’ll be diving into cozy games, how to make your setup/playing area more cozy, warm, relaxing, comfortable, etc. and how to have a comfortable, cozy and relaxing experience. Feel free to use some of these advices for other hobbies as many of them are suitable for others.
The setup and how it can help creating a more comfy gaming experience.
Colors and lights
First off, to get a comfortable gaming experience, we need a comfortable setup. This can include lightning like lowering the intensity and using warmer colored lights as they are relaxing for the eyes and reduce eye strain. Not only that, but studies show that warmer lights have a positive impact on mood as they give a feeling of comfort, warmth and happiness. They also help with relaxation and overall help creating a warm cozy ambience. For more information on lights, read Sami’s part. There is also color. Something like a nice brown can help as it brings a feeling of comfort, security and warmth. Other colors like a dark forest green or a nice beige is commonly seen in comfy setup.
Plants, plushies, blankets, etc…
Plants can be used to create a more cozy ambience whether they are real or fake. You can use your average plant in a pot or even hanging ones. They had this feeling of nature which can be comforting and also add dimension to the room which can make it more cozy. You can also use things like blankets and plushies. Having those which are associated with comfort, security, emotional comfort and warmth can help in creating a cozy environment.
Snacks and treats
Treats like hot chocolate with cookies can give a comfortable experience as it is warm and warmth helps in soothing and relaxing, then again, you can eat whatever you want, it’s your own personal cozy time. Snacks overall can give this rewarding feeling and eating relieves stress, invokes pleasure and the smell can also be comforting for some.
Fragrance source
For some people, these can help in creating a relaxed and comfortable environment. Whether it’s from smells that you associate with comfort or some that have a calming or stress-relieving properties like lavender or chamomile, anything works if you wish to add any.
All these things can help in creating a comfortable and cozy gaming experience, but now, what about cozy games? Of course, its different for everyone so here are some of my cozy games and others that I’ve seen or heard about from people and friends which have those “cozy vibes” or that bring me and others comfort whether it’s because we just like the game or because it’s nostalgic so it’s bring us comfort.
My favorite cozy games;
Silent Hill 2
Cozy horror games, fog, good music, gloomy ambience, etc. Not for everyone, but my personal favorite. If you like horror games, it’s for you.
Minecraft
The casual one. Make a house, get a dog, go on an adventure, listen to the amazing relaxing soundtrack, etc… There’s a lot to do and it’s overall a very cozy game even if you’re doing harder stuff like beating the ender dragon.
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Again not necessarily for everyone, but like SIlent Hill 2, it has a gloomy ambience, good characters, relaxing gameplay, apart from certain encounters which can be harder. I would put it right after SH2, again, it’s personal preference.
Final Fantasy XIV (not when doing ultimate raids…)
Fun community where you can just chill, hang out, make friends and even go to coffee places owned by players and get served by real people. Some guilds will do music shows in popular public areas, so you can listen and hang out. Overall, it’s a very warm and fun game to be if you just want to chill. The casual MMORPG chilling and hanging out experience, but I do think it is the best one.
Castlevania (Any of them)
While it can be more difficult then the other game mentioned, it can be cozy as it is an old retro game franchise and those, in my opinion, tend to have this cozy feeling to them. The soundtrack is good, the games look amazing despite being old and pixely and the story and characters are interesting.
Skyrim
Whether it’s adventuring, doing quests, etc. This game is very cozy and I think it might be something common for an open world, medieval-fantasy themed game (again, it might just be my own preference).
Some more games recommended by my friends and I.
- Stardew Valley
- Genshin Impact
- Slime Rancher
- Unpacking
- Cult of the Lamb
- WoW (When not grinding)
- The Legend of Zelda (any)
Lighting
When lighting a home, there are two main types of lighting – ambient and big. Ambient lighting provides overall general illumination to a room, while big lighting offers more directed light that brightens a room entirely. Ambient lighting is important for establishing a comfortable atmosphere, as it creates a soft, uniform light level without any harsh glares or shadows. Common forms of ambient lighting include lamps, leds, and certain types of ceiling fixtures . Task lighting offers brighter, more focused beams of light. While ambient light alone can feel dull and limit visibility, task lighting alone can feel harsh and create uneven contrasts. The most effective home lighting for finding comfort is ambient lighting. Let’s talk about how ambient lighting is so effective and what exactly is the difference.
Big Lighting : Why doesn’t it work?
Very intense light levels feel sterile and clinical rather than warm and inviting. Bright overhead lights can make a room feel more like an office than a comforting living space. Big lighting provides illumination but does little to create ambience. Without any soft, diffuse lighting, a space can feel stark and uncomfortable. Rooms can seem smaller and more cramped under very intense, direct lighting. Soft ambient light helps make spaces feel more expansive. Let’s talk about it.
Ambient Lighting : Why does it work?
Ambient lighting is designed to provide a soft, uniform light throughout an area. This creates a more relaxing and calming environment compared to the bright and stark illumination of big lighting. Bright overhead lighting can make a room feel smaller. Ambient lighting bounces softly around the room which makes the space feel more open and expansive. Gentle ambient light is less visually stressful, allowing people to relax. Big lighting keeps the eyes working harder.
How can you achieve ambient lighting?
Pendant lights – Hanging pendant lights provide warm, diffuse illumination. They work well over dining tables, kitchen islands, seating areas, and more.
Table and floor lamps – Lamps with soft, translucent shades generate flattering ambient light. They allow flexibility in directing and dimming the light.
Recessed can lighting – Recessed downlights provide subtle ambient fill light from the ceiling. Space them evenly for uniform light.
Wall sconces – Wall sconces mounted at eye level wash the walls with ambient glow while eliminating glare.
Cove lighting – Light recessed into coves or valances washes the ceiling with soft, indirect light. It’s great for creating ambience.
Strips and undercabinet lights – Discreet LED strip lighting installed under cabinets or shelves provide backlighting and accent illumination.
Up lighting – Up lights placed behind furniture or installed on the floor shine light up to create mood.
Dimmer switches – Use dimmers to lower light levels and create the perfect amount of ambient lighting.
Big Lighting Compared To Ambient Lighting
As you can see ambient lighting looks and feels much more relaxing and calming compared to the big lighting. The only difference between the two is the lighting, that is the big difference between a comfortable environment and an uncomfortable environment.
The sides of comfort
Alexis Toussaint
When talking about comfort, it’s important to first see the 2 ways in which it can be interpreted. The first being what most people usually think of when they hear “comfort”; physical comfort. The other is the psychological aspect of comfort. Despite that, each aspect still incorporates a bit of the other, making it impossible to have “true” comfort without one of them.
Physical comfort
Physical comfort incorporates a wide range of things. The most obvious aspect is having a comfortable place to sit or rest. For example, a nice couch where you can sit and watch your favorite TV show or movie. But only having a comfortable place to sit is not all that makes a place comfortable. The paint of the walls, the lighting(as mentioned above) and temperature are also very important to create a better environment to spend time in. On top of that, having things that represent you decorating the walls or the shelves, seeing things that you enjoy in the room will make it feel more pleasant. Physical comfort is what you get once you put together a comfortable place to relax, with different methods of entertainment, decorations that match your personality, good lighting and set the temperature just how you like it.
Psychological comfort
In order to feel comfortable anywhere, you first need to feel safe and welcome, be able to let yourself relax without worry. Having privacy is very important as well. If you live with other people, having access to a room that others should not enter without your permission is one way to achieve that, but it requires a set of rules that everyone in the house agrees to. If setting rules and boundaries with the people you live with is not enough, there is always the option to install locks to keep unwanted visitors from barging in. Having these rules is the first step to comfort when living with others as it puts everyone on the same page on what is and isn’t acceptable. When these boundaries are respected, it creates a less stressful and more fun environment for all.
two sides to a coin
At the end of the day, the psychological and physical aspects of comfort are both required to achieve the best comfort possible. Both sides are ultimately intertwined and have an impact on each other and on the overall quality of the comfort.
How do they affect each other?
The decorations that you place around the room, having a comfortable couch or chair, and all of the other physical aspects mentioned earlier will affect your mental health. On the other hand, if you don’t feel safe in your home, that will affect your physical health as well. because you would be under stress most of the time. Therefore, you won’t be able to relax and recover properly, causing your physical health to deteriorate too.