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joyofcleaning.com
article
https://joyofcleaning.com/do-you-know-these-7-cleaning-as-self-care-trends-re…
Natural DIY Solutions: Create your own aromatherapy cleaning products using simple ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils, avoiding harsh chemicals while maximizing therapeutic benefits.
Seasonal Scent Rotation: Align your aromatherapy cleaning routine with seasonal changes—fresh citrus scents for spring cleaning energy, warm vanilla or cinnamon for cozy fall vibes, creating emotional harmony with natural cycles. [...] Essential Oil Integration: Add a few drops of lavender oil to your mop water for calming effects, or use lemon essential oil in surface cleaners to boost energy and mental clarity during your aromatherapy cleaning sessions.
Mood-Targeted Scent Selection: Choose specific fragrances based on your emotional needs—eucalyptus for mental clarity and focus, peppermint for energy boosts, or chamomile for relaxation and stress relief. [...] Neurological Benefits: The rhythmic nature of cleaning activities activates the same brain pathways as meditation, creating a natural stress-relief response that can lower anxiety levels by up to 20%.
Control and Accomplishment: When life feels chaotic, cleaning gives us immediate, tangible results—something we can actually control and complete, which boosts our sense of self-efficacy.
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healthpartners.com
article
https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/tips-for-reducing-stress-at-home
Regular cleaning is important to remove germs in your home, and decrease the chance that someone gets a cold or flu. You can make it easy by keeping disinfecting wipes in the germiest areas of your house – such as the kitchen and bathroom. [...] If you’re interested in using essential oils for your home, try an aromatherapy diffuser or a room spray. Or put a drop or two of your favorite oil in your bath for some great self-care.
### 4. Pick up some plants
There’s a reason why you’re told to stop and smell the roses. There are benefits in slowing down and taking time to relax. Plus, spending time outdoors is great for mental health. [...] Of course, whipping up a daily batch of cookies is unlikely to fit into your busy schedule or a healthy diet. Easier ways to use scents to boost your mood include lighting scented candles or using essential oils. Some of the best essential oils for stress relief are lavender, rosemary, jasmine, bergamot, lemongrass and neroli.
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columbiadoctors.org
news
https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/reduce-stress-through-decluttering
Whether someone is dealing with depression or is simply overwhelmed, we often use a technique called behavioral activation, which involves purposefully engaging in achievable activities to improve mood. This approach has been borne out in research; one study even suggests that cleaning can help alleviate stress, even when the stressor has nothing to do with the clutter. Spring cleaning is a great example of behavioral activation. [...] When we evaluate someone’s mental health, we typically include appearance within an overall assessment of their ability to perform activities of daily living. If someone presents as noticeably disheveled or does not appear to be engaging in normal grooming, that could indicate the person may be struggling in many areas, including their home environment, driven by depression, anxiety, or some other mental health disorder.
## Where does spring cleaning fit into stress reduction? [...] When someone is feeling overwhelmed at work or in some other area of life, it can manifest as having difficulty with upkeep and functioning at home, which can add to the underlying stress. It’s not the clutter itself, but the feeling of being overwhelmed that’s the actual symptom or indication that there might be some anxiety, depression, or other mental health issue.
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oxfordcbt.co.uk
article
https://www.oxfordcbt.co.uk/stress-management-cleaning
Can cleaning help you reduce stress? There are lots of different ways that we can manage our stress. We each have our routine that we reach for when we feel overwhelmed. Some may try yoga, or mindfulness exercises, maybe even head to the hairdressers or for a massage. For others, dusting shelves, wiping down the kitchen or organising is their way to deal with stress. Cleaning is just as beneficial for our mental health as mindfulness related activities. For some people, coming home to a clean [...] Clutter and mess can be linked to negative emotions like confusion and tension. Whereas a clean and tidy home leads to positive emotions such as a sense of calm and well-being. By sorting and organising the clutter and mess around you, you can reduce any stress or anxiety you may be feeling and this will help you feel like you are taking control of your life. The physical activity of cleaning combined with the result of a cleaner home helps reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and depressive [...] 3 Set a time limit so you have an end goal. This is very popular with online cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch. Having a set time (30 minutes for example) will keep you focussed on what you want to achieve. Get all your cleaning products organised and ready and refer to your list of what you want to achieve in that time.
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mayoclinic.org
article
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stres…
Physical activity can pump up your feel-good endorphins and other natural neural chemicals that boost your sense of well-being. Exercise also can refocus your mind on your body's movements. This refocus can improve your mood and help the day's irritations fade away. So go on a walk, take a jog, work in your garden, clean your house, bike, swim, weight train, vacuum or do anything else that gets you active.
## Eat a healthy diet [...] Listening to or playing music is a good stress reliever. It can provide a mental distraction, lessen muscle tension and lower stress hormones. Turn up the volume and let your mind be absorbed by the music.
If music isn't one of your interests, turn your attention to another hobby you enjoy. For example, try gardening, sewing, reading or sketching. Or try anything that makes you focus on what you're doing rather than what you think you should be doing.
## Seek counseling [...] Eating a healthy diet is an important part of taking care of yourself. Aim to eat many fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
## Avoid unhealthy habits
Some people may deal with stress with unhealthy habits. These may include drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, smoking, eating too much, or using illegal substances. These habits can harm your health and increase your stress levels.
## Meditate
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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
others; Tesser, 2000). Paralleling such mental mechanisms, we observe that cleaning can attenuate the effects of psychological threats to one’s self—as moral (West & Zhong, 2015), as rational (Lee & Schwarz, 2010), as competent (Kaspar, 2012), and as socially accepted (the present findings). This opens up a broad and exciting avenue for future research: Daily cleaning behavior, mundane as it seems, may serve supplementary coping functions that not only attenuate stress but also sustain positive [...] Our work also provides the first physiological evidence for the attenuation of stress-related effects by cleaning, extending the hitherto mostly experiential evidence to a new level of analysis. An additional nuance is that cleaning effects in some of the present experiments were evident for indirect measures, including pictorial assessment of basic affective dimensions and physiological markers, but not for direct verbal measures that used specific emotion terms, which can operate [...] ## found that (a) concrete visual simulation of cleaning behavior alleviated residual anxiety from a stress-inducing physical scene, an effect distinct from touch, and (b) actual cleaning behavior enhanced adaptive cardiovascular reactivity to a highly stressful context of social performance/evaluation, which provides the first physiological evidence for the attenuation of stress-related effects by cleaning. Overall, actual cleaning and simulated cleaning attenuate effects of physical or
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colorado.edu
research
https://www.colorado.edu/law/25-quick-ways-reduce-stress
5. Give Yourself a Hand Massage
When there’s no professional masseuse in sight, try DIYing a hand massage for instant relaxation that calms a pounding heart. Hands in general can carry a lot of tension. Apply some lotion and start kneading the base of the muscle under the thumb to relieve stress in the shoulders, neck, and scalp. [...] 18. Chew Gum
A stick of gum is a surprisingly quick and easy way to beat stress. No matter the flavor, just a few minutes of chewing can actually reduce anxiety and lower cortisol levels.
19. Sip Green Tea
Green tea is a source of L-Theanine, a chemical that helps relieve anger. Boil the water, pour it out, and take a soothing sip. [...] 8. Rub Your Feet Over a Golf Ball
You can get an impromptu, relaxing foot massage by rubbing your feet back and forth over a golf ball.
9. Close Your Eyes
Take a quick break from a busy office or a chaotic household by just lowering your eyelids. It’s an easy way to regain calm and focus.
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healthline.com
article
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety
Although coffee has health benefits in moderation, it’s recommended to keep caffeine intake under 400 mg daily, which equals 4–5 cups (0.9–1.2 L) of coffee.
### Coffee alternatives
Matcha green tea shake
Vanilla chai tea shake
Chai spice shake
Carrot ginger smoothie
## 7. Spend time with loved ones
Having a social support system is important for your overall mental health. [...] Engaging in activities that support self-care may help reduce stress and anxiety. These can include getting more exercise, mindfulness practices, and eating a well-balanced diet.
Minimizing the chronic stress of daily life as much as possible can support your overall health. Chronic stress can increase your risk of health conditions, including:
heart disease
anxiety disorders
depression
Certain factors may affect your vulnerability to stress. These can include: [...] Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated. It simply means tending to your well-being and happiness. Engaging in self-care is associated with lower levels of stress and improved quality of life.
Examples of self-care include:
going for a walk outside
taking a bath
lighting candles
reading a good book
exercising
preparing a healthy meal
stretching before bed
getting a massage
practicing a hobby
using a diffuser with calming scents
practicing yoga
## 5. Try journaling