It’s not something that most people equate with happiness, but scientists are finding that cleaning is really good for you. Why? Does having a clean room make you happier?
The problem is, most of us don’t have enough time in our day-to-day to be able to deep clean our homes on a regular basis. And who really has all the energy and motivation to even empty the dishwasher after a long day at their work?
Here’s the rub: science tells us that both overworking and having a messy home cause immense stress, but regular cleaning and staying organized has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and boost health. Learning how to keep your house clean helps.
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Does a Clean House Make You Happier?
The short answer: Yes. Granted, having a clean home isn’t going to solve all our problems in life and won’t help you find the cure to COVID , but it can help you feel more at peace, balanced, and in control.
As it turns out, clutter can have a huge impact on our mood and self-esteem. A study conducted by Havas Worldwide showed that half of us don’t really need all that stuff to be happy.
Having too much clutter can damage your mental and physical health on top of making your house more difficult to clean, which only stresses you out more. Conversely, coming home to a clean, organized home after a long day at work will put you in a more peaceful frame of mind, allowing you to relax and handle stress better.
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The Psychology of Cleanliness
According to a study published by The University of California, when people come home to a messy house, it interferes with the body’s production of cortisol, a hormone responsible for relieving stress. That’s why the psychology of house cleaning is important to understand.
That’s because people feel obligated to clean up the mess, even when they don’t have the energy or motivation to do it, which only causes further stress. Another study in which 3,000 people reported having stress and anxiety showed that with regular, vigorous housework, they were able to decrease those symptoms by as much as 20%.
Cleaning your house can also serve as an outlet for energy and negative emotions. Keeping a tidy home and creating a nice, clean hoye atmosphere by clearing the clutter, dirt, and dust makes you feel more relaxed and at ease.
Health Benefits of a Clean Home
Cleaning your house doesn’t only result in a tidier living space, but it also boosts your mental health. As the saying goes, a clean home is a happy home. The British Journal of Sports Medicine recently published a study that showed that at least 20 minutes of weekly exercise can ease depression symptoms.
Cleaning counts as exercise, so it’s a great way to kill two birds with one stone.
However, while cleaning the house can be a great workout, it’s important to make sure the cleaning tasks you’re doing are more physically strenuous than gliding over the kitchen floor with a Swiffer mop and a grin on your face.
Scientists have also found other benefits of a clean house. For example, it could can inspire us to make healthier choices about the food we eat.
One study revealed that people who worked in a clean, organized office for 10 minutes were two times as likely to opt for an apple instead of candy, whereas participants who worked in an untidy, chaotic space went for the chocolate bar.
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This would appear to suggest that your brain and body crave the endorphins and dopamine we get from eating comfort food, in an attempt to deal with higher stress levels caused by a messy environment. So, keeping the house clean could encourage us to eat a balanced diet, which would improve our mental health even further.
Why Cleaning Is Good for You
Another study that demonstrated the importance of cleaning to good physical and mental health was performed by the Physical Activity Department at Indiana University.
They studied the physical health of people between the ages of 49 and 65 and compared the cleanliness of their homes with their levels of physical activity.
The results of the study were that the most active and healthy participants were also the people whose homes were the cleanest. Furthermore, it appeared to researchers that the only thing impacting their physical activity was whether or not they had tidy houses.
Cleaning Helps Reduce Allergies
If you suffer from allergies and sinus problems or seem to get sick every time something’s going around, cleaning your house on a regular basis can also help to boost your immune system and ease allergies.
You know the symptoms: runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing, and generally just feeling under the weather. Well, the average person spends up to 90 percent of their time inside, and indoor air can be up to 5 times more polluted than the air outdoors.
During all that time, we’re breathing in a nasty soup of dust mites, pet dander, pollen, mold, bug skeletons, and toxins from sources like everyday cleaning products and even from our own clothing and bedding.
Most people assume all those symptoms are just from allergies when in fact, all those toxins in the air we’re breathing are to blame. So keeping a clean house from top to bottom, along with a good air filtration system, will prevent those allergies and protect your immune system.
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Why We Really Love to Clean
There’s a theory behind why some of us love to clean, though. The human body is made up of tens of thousands of highly organized, integrated systems. Down to a cellular level, we operate on strict schedules, or circadian rhythms.
We are all regulated and organized beings, even at the teensiest atomic level. Without this strict organization, our bodies would collapse and disappear into the ether.
Perhaps the reason we have such an innate need for cleanliness and order in our environment is that we’re subconsciously mirroring the cellular organization happening in our bodies. Interesting, as organization and neatness seem to promote health and happiness.
But no matter what the reason, cleanliness and organization are proven to be just plain good for us. Keeping a clean house helps us feel better, keeps us productive, and supports our physical health.
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Just try to keep that in mind the next time you need to steam clean the dining room rug or get the pet smell out of your favorite sofa. A cleaner, tidier, more organized home can do wonders for your health and happiness.
And if you need a little help getting rid of all that clutter and the big items you keep meaning to do something with, give LoadUp a call.
LoadUp provides exceptional eco-friendly, licensed junk removal service with honesty and transparency at a price that’s 20-30% lower than other professionally licensed junk removal companies.
Pass the clorox wipes, please!
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