Your home is your sanctuary—and for those working from home or spending a large slice of the day indoors, it’s especially important to ensure your living-slash-office space makes you feel calm yet energized, relaxed yet productive. Sounds a bit oxymoronic, doesn’t it? But according to functional medicine doctor Leland Stillman, M.D., on the mindbodygreen podcast, one home decor mistake can sabotage your WFH mindset: dim lighting. 

Sure, a candlelit room may sound incredibly soothing, if not spa-like, but it’s not the best choice for powering through the day—in fact, it can even lead to feelings of anxiousness. Ahead, Stillman explains how your light environment can impact your mood, plus the best way to hack your bulbs for a calm state of mind. 

Afterwards, when the students reflected on the experience, they noted the profound benefits of having someone to connect with. Suzuki recounts, “[They said,] ‘It was so nice to have a conversation where somebody really listened to me and asked questions about this experience that I found useful.'” Not only do the vacation memories themselves conjure positive emotions (which can help enhance mood), but the deeper exchange between two people can cultivate feelings of validation—which, in turn, Suzuki says can help ease stress.

We should note that Suzuki saw these benefits in a lab setting between two people who met for the very first time. “It’s even easier to do it with somebody that, you know,” she says. To practice mindful conversation in your own life, here’s your homework: “Really be present,” Suzuki says. “Listen deeply, be curious, ask questions, and give a timeline.”

For instance, Suzuki allotted her students 10 minutes, but you could dedicate 15 or 20 minutes to discuss one person’s vacation before switching stories. No matter your timeline, make sure you fill the space with curiosity, follow-ups, and details. “It really makes a difference.”

In this small study, 22 healthy individuals between the ages of 20 and 50 drank a cup of rosemary tea (a simple brew of 5 grams of dried rosemary in water) every day for 10 days. Before and after the experiment, researchers ran blood tests to measure key markers of participants’ stress levels and immune response.

While the immunity markers stayed relatively consistent after the daily tea, researchers did find a significant increase in the concentration of one protein: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is an essential molecule for brain health. Essentially, it helps our noggins grow new neurons and synapses while protecting the ones we already have. BDNF seems to help shield our brain’s neurons from stress-induced damage, and it’s often excreted during bouts of exercise. Normal levels (i.e., not low) of BDNF are considered a biomarker for a healthy mood and mental well-being.

Since BDNF levels increased following the intervention, researchers believe that rosemary might help promote a positive mood and ease everyday stress and anxiousness.* They also found that participants experienced a slight decrease in cortisol levels following their teatime, another signal of a healthy stress response.*

This was only one small trial, and there was no control group (so you can’t rule out the placebo effect), but the results track with existing research on rosemary. Previous studies have found that the herb can help promote calm and improve sleep quality in college students and have a mood-boosting effect on mice.* Supplementing with rosemary led to an increase in self-reported focus, enthusiasm, and outlook in another clinical study, and there’s also good reason to think the herb can help promote memory and cognitive function.*

In short, consuming rosemary seems to be one (delicious) botanical approach to supporting mood and overall brain health.*