As reported by Forbes in their article “The Mental Health Benefits Of A Clean Home,” keeping your home clean has numerous mental health benefits. Our environment plays a crucial role in our mental wellness, and maintaining a clean living space, whether it’s a bedroom, apartment, or house, can significantly enhance your well-being. Here are some key benefits of a clean home, according to experts.
Keeping Clean for Your Mental Health
“Our outer worlds invariably affect our inner worlds and vice versa,” says Danielle Roeske, Psy.D., vice president of residential services at Newport Healthcare. Essentially, when our minds feel overwhelmed, our living spaces can become cluttered. Conversely, a messy space can lead to stress, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and relationship strain, according to Peggy Loo, Ph.D., licensed psychologist and director at Manhattan Therapy Collective.
Studies over the years have linked mental health to environmental exposure. A 1997 study indicated that childhood living conditions significantly impact health in adulthood. A 2000 comparative study linked improvements in housing quality to residents’ improved mental health. More recently, a 2020 study in Korea associated substandard housing conditions, especially paired with housing unaffordability, with depressive symptoms in residents. Residents in a 2021 study in China were more likely to report good health when living in tidy homes.
5 Mental Health Benefits of Cleaning
While a messy space can put you in a mental bind, tidying up your home can help you feel better. Here are five ways cleaning can benefit your mental health, according to experts.
- Sense of Order and Control A 2017 study on young adults found that clutter was linked to procrastination, feeling overwhelmed, and a lower quality of life. Dr. Roeske explains that when there is order and structure in our outer environment, it helps us manage internal emotional states better.
- Familiarity and Consistency Human beings prefer routines that offer stability, even amid chaotic circumstances. Keeping household items in order provides that familiarity, although “order” doesn’t necessarily mean everything is perfectly arranged. Each person’s sense of order may differ.
- Released Endorphins The physical act of cleaning releases endorphins, which are beneficial as pain relievers, stress relievers, and overall enhancers of well-being.
- Improved Focus According to a 2011 Princeton Neuroscience Institute study, having too many items in our field of vision distracts the brain’s processing capacity. Clearing away clutter allows the brain to focus on items and tasks one at a time.
- Regulated Emotions Cleaning requires us to slow down, which can offer a calming effect during overwhelming situations and help us manage our emotions. Deep cleaning can be a constructive physical outlet for frustration.
Dr. Loo notes that while cleaning can support better mental health, mustering up the energy to tidy can be difficult for those with anxiety, depression, or burnout. In such cases, seeking help from a mental health professional for additional coping strategies can be beneficial.
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Article with all rights reserved, courtesy of forbes.com.