Hilal Şentürk, a faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Biruni University’s Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, stated that the home environment can directly affect the nervous system.
Şentürk explained that the sense of spaciousness or discomfort felt when entering a space is not merely a matter of aesthetic preference. She noted that the home environment can influence the nervous system: "A place we call home functions like a field of stimuli that continuously sends data to the brain through the senses. The brain evaluates this data along axes such as safety, threat, control, uncertainty and then sends signals to the body to either ‘relax’ or ‘be alert.’”
Şentürk emphasized that home and interior arrangements can produce measurable physiological responses in the human body. She noted that spaces are not just areas we live in but also environmental regulators that shape bodily responses, adding that elements such as color, light, natural features and spatial design particularly influence the nervous system.
Highlighting that the human brain processes environmental input very quickly upon entering a space, Şentürk said: "When we enter a room, many elements – such as light levels, colors, the sense of openness or enclosure, visual contact with nature and the materials used – are perceived simultaneously. The brain classifies this environmental data in a very short time. As a result, the autonomic nervous system is activated, producing a response that affects whether the body relaxes or stays alert. When the sympathetic nervous system is dominant, heart rate may increase and attention may shift more toward scanning for environmental threats. When the parasympathetic system is dominant, the body can more easily enter a state of recovery and rest.”
Natural textures, recovery
Şentürk stressed the importance of elements in the home that connect with nature, emphasizing that the "biophilic design” approach should not be seen as merely decorative.
She noted that factors such as daylight, greenery, natural materials and visual connection with the outdoors can reduce the perception of uncertainty and create a more balanced internal state. She added: "Green areas near windows, the use of balconies or even small corners created with natural textures can give a person a sense of recovery. It is not sufficient to explain the effect of color solely through tones like blue, green or beige. The balance between light and dark, saturation and the change of light throughout the day are also important. Therefore, instead of asking ‘which color is calming,’ it is more accurate to ask ‘how does this color interact with the light in my living space and what effect does it create?’ Good design does not produce the same result for everyone. Open-plan or overly minimalist designs may be relaxing for some people but stress-inducing for others. While an open-plan home may create a sense of spaciousness for some individuals, it may reduce feelings of privacy and control for others. Similarly, an overly simple environment may relax one person but create a sense of detachment in another. What matters here is not fewer stimuli but the right configuration of stimuli suited to the individual.”
Şentürk concluded by noting that homes are environmental structures that silently send messages to the nervous system every day and that well-designed interiors can influence the balance between stress and recovery in the body.