We often talk about a lack of cleanliness in terms of social faux pas. Other times, maintaining a tidy home becomes a matter of morality. These perspectives seem important as parents pass these ideas down through the generations. Still, they’re not the reasons you should care about having a clean house. Positive mental health is vital to a happy life, and your home can have a big impact on this aspect of your wellbeing. Let’s unpack why cleanliness has the potential to benefit your mental health.
Balancing hormone release
Have you ever looked at an unclean or untidy part of your home and felt tense? Well, these impacts of an untidy home can be measured on a scientific level. Studies have shown that homeowners who feel their space is cluttered demonstrate elevated cortisol levels during the day.
Cortisol is supposed to reduce through the day before building again overnight. Known as the ‘fight or flight’ hormone, excess cortisol can cause a range of negative mental health symptoms as your body remains in a state of stress.
Conversely, cleaning is active and therefore has the potential to release endorphins, just like physical movement. This hormone reduces feelings of stress to support your mental health. The next time you want a gentle workout for that instant feel-good factor, try spending half an hour on a bit of cleaning. You’ll get a boost and the results will leave your home sparkling. It’s a win-win!
Decluttering also helps focus
Walking into a room full of cluttering is demoralising and does nothing for the chronic procrastinators among us.
However, if you enter a tidy room, your mindset shifts. Take your bedroom, for example. Waking up on a morning to a clean room sets you up for the day properly. Clever storage solutions like walk-in wardrobes help you keep belongings organised and separate from your floor space. These principles apply to every space in your home. With less visual noise, you can focus on what you need to do and may become more productive in your studies, work or even relaxation.
Improve your mood
An untidy or unclean home can serve as a reminder of a growing to-do list. This increases pressure and may be very triggering for people who experience anxiety or depression. These conditions may then make it difficult for you to rectify the situation, becoming a vicious cycle.
However, approaching a cleaning task as a mindful exercise means you may find it has the potential to become a meditative practice. Doing a physically repetitive activity is a form of self-soothing for many people, so the act of cleaning in itself may help to calm you. Likewise, the pride you’ll feel after you’ve transformed a space can improve your mood immeasurably.
It can feel odd to reach for the sponge and spray when you’re at a low point, but give it a go. You may just surprise yourself!
This is a collaborative post Photo Credit: Cottonbro via Pexel.com
