More often than not, our environment is a reflection of our mental state. When we feel anxious, sad or stressed, we often let our environments become chaotic and messy- and mentally we refuse to clean up the mess around us. And while we may not have the motivation to sort out the ongoing situation around us, cleaning is a great way to improve your mental health and work towards having a more positive and better mental state. We Buy Any House, we have compiled a small guide on how cleaning can improve your mental health.
What Are the Negative Effects of Clutter and Mess?
Aiming to keep your home clean and free of clutter is a great way to improve your mental health. Often, we don’t talk about the negative effects of how living in mess and clutter can negatively impact your mental well-being. Studies have shown that living in a cluttered and unclean environment can cause depression, especially for women who often end up feeling fatigued by messy home. This is because for women who are living in a stressful environment, they tend to have higher levels of cortisol- a hormone which is supposed to regulate your body’s reaction to stress.
Additionally, another study conducted by Princeton University has shown that living in a cluttered or unclean environment can make it increasingly difficult to focus on tasks when you are home. It’s easy to become distracted, if not overwhelmed. This is because your visual cortex, which is used to process visual information, can become distracted objects that aren’t related to your task- ultimately making it harder to focus and complete things efficiently.
Another negative effect of living in a cluttered and messy environment is that it can increase feelings of stress, irritability and anxiety. Living in a somewhat messy home can lead to heightened negative emotions, and increase the tension felt by the individual. Scientifically, in the brain clutter represents something that is unfinished, which can cause heightened tensions for most people.
How Can Cleaning and Decluttering Improve Your Mental Health?
It Allows You to Feel in Control:
When it comes to our homes, most of us like to feel a sense of control as to the way it looks. However, if our houses are in disarray, it can often feel like we have no control over what is going on in our lives overall. Therefore, cleaning and decluttering is a great way to become re-empowered and feel like you have control over what is going on in your house.
Cleaning Can Be Calming:
If you often find yourself feeling stressed or overwhelmed, then cleaning is a great way to de-stress and calm yourself. The process of wiping down worktops, changing your bed sheet and vacuuming (ang other general housework tasks) are a great way to create a meditative state for your brain. Furthermore, the clam that cleaning brings to your mental state is actually an effective way to get a better night’s sleep- which is better in itself for your mental health.
You May Find Inspiration:
While you’re reorganising, decluttering and clearing your space, this time may allow you to find inspiration in things that may have become lost amongst the mess. You may find an old book, game or other hobby from a while ago, therefore it may be the perfect time to reinvigorate your creativity.
You Will Have an Increased Attention Span:
Focusing on tasks can be tricky, especially if you’re feeling fatigued. However, a great way to improve your attention span is to begin cleaning. The power behind decluttering, reorganising and decluttering is the perfect way to improve your attention span, as it will allow you to concentrate longer on specific tasks as your visual field becomes used to dealing with organising multiple objects.
You Can Uplift Your Mood:
Cleaning is a great way to release endorphins and ultimately lift your mood. By reinvigorating a space, you can make the area feel brand new, and ultimately have a greater feeling of satisfaction and productivity when it comes to the state of your home.