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news-medical.net
news
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Investigating-the-Link-between-Cleaning-a…
In an examination of ritualized behavior in anxiogenic situations (that causing anxiety), researchers studied 62 undergraduate students cleaning behaviors assigned to either a high-anxiety or low-anxiety group. The researchers found that induced anxiety increased the likelihood of repetitive and rigid activities. Notably, however, these activities were not redundant. This study emphasized a novel link between anxiety and ritualized behavior, such as cleaning. [...] The study used self-assessment and objective assessments to gauge the participants' perception of their neighborhoods and residences. Participants were asked to rate the interior and exterior aspects of the home including cleanliness, among other factors including noise, air quality, furnishings, and conditions of these interior and exterior aspects. [...] Cleaning results in good mental health through several mechanisms. The absence of clutter can reduce the overstimulation produced by too many visual stimuli, enabling increased focus and the ability to concentrate. In addition, cleaning can enhance mood, particularly when engaged in mindful activity whilst doing the cleaning activity – moreover, the active cleaning itself can result in environmental certainty and controllability, thereby reducing anxiety.
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prowellness.childrens.pennstatehealth.org
article
https://prowellness.childrens.pennstatehealth.org/the-connection-between-clea…
Research has shown that living in a cluttered environment increases stress. In the study, young women cared for an infant in either a normal or cluttered environment.1 While chaos didn’t seem to affect mood or responsiveness, physical stress levels were still higher for women in the cluttered homes. Such findings suggest that parents should consider how cleanliness and clutter in the home may impact their stress levels. [...] Additionally, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America indicates that the physical activity of cleaning coupled with the end result of a cleaner home helps reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and depressive symptoms.10 Cleaning can also reduce fatigue and improve concentration.
### Cleanliness and Focus [...] A study by the University of Connecticut found that in times of high stress, people default to repetitive behaviors like cleaning because it gives them a sense of control during a chaotic time.6 Other research has found that decluttering can help older adults retain a sense of control over their life as they age.7
What’s more, clutter and disorganization can be really distracting, making it hard to focus or complete other projects. You can start to feel stuck in a rut.
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stanneshousekeeping.com
research
https://stanneshousekeeping.com/blog/clean-home-mental-health-research-2026
There is a documented bidirectional relationship between anxiety and clutter. Anxiety makes people less likely to clean (reduced motivation, paralysis, avoidance); clutter makes anxiety worse (elevated cortisol, visual overwhelm, shame). This cycle is well-documented in clinical psychology literature and is a recognised feature of anxiety and depression — conditions that affect an estimated 1 in 6 people in England at any given time (NHS, 2024). [...] For people in the anxiety–clutter cycle, professional cleaning provides what therapists sometimes call a "circuit breaker" — an external intervention that breaks the cycle without requiring the individual to overcome their own paralysis. Multiple clients report that the baseline of cleanliness provided by a regular housekeeper makes it psychologically easier to maintain cleanliness between visits. [...] 70% report that a clean home gives them a sense of accomplishment
66% say cleanliness enhances their mood
63% report increased productivity in a clean environment
60% report decreased stress and anxiety
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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
Visually simulated experience of cleaning behavior reduced residual anxiety from a stress-inducing physical scene. The manipulation involved mere visual simulation, with effect sizes (_d_ s = 0.205 and 0.141) in the expected small range by traditional standards (J. Cohen, 1988) and comparable with those in contemporary preregistered between-subjects research (Schäfer & Schwarz, 2019). The effect was observed and replicated on a pictorial measure of anxiety derived from basic emotional [...] of the manipulation check items (how clean the visualized experience felt and how much it involved touching oneself), only clean feelings significantly predicted lower anxiety (β = −0.1215, _SE_ = 0.0353, _t_(295) = −3.437, _p_ = .0007) and lower tension (β = −0.1693, _SE_ = 0.0344, _t_(299) = −4.924, _p_ = 1.41e−06), whereas touch involvement did not significantly predict anxiety (β = 0.0550, _SE_ = 0.0375, _t_(295) = 1.469, _p_ = .1429) and predicted higher tension (β = 0.0759, _SE_ = 0.0369, [...] We tested these predictions integratively in behavioral and psychophysiological experiments (total _N_ = 3,066). An exploratory behavioral experiment, its preregistered replication, and its preregistered extension tested if concrete visual simulation of cleaning behavior would alleviate residual anxiety from a stress-inducing physical scene. A preregistered psychophysiological experiment tested if actual cleaning behavior would alter cardiovascular reactivity to a highly stressful context of
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extension.usu.edu
research
https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/the-mental-benefits-of-declut…
Lang, M., Krátký, J., Shaver, J.H., Jerotijević, D., & Xygalatas, D. (2015). Effects of anxiety on spontaneous ritualized behavior. Current Biology, 25(14), 1892-1897.
McMains, S., & Kastner, S. (2011). Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in human visual cortex. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(2):587-97. [...] There is something to be said about having a clean and organized work or living space. According to a study by Princeton University, researchers discovered that our environment can positively or negatively impact our ability to complete tasks as well as our overall mental health. If the physical space around us feels scattered, it’s likely our mental space will feel the same. A study by the University of Connecticut found that by removing or controlling clutter, we can directly reduce the [...] Relieve anxiety. When things are not organized or clean, it can often bring vast amounts of anxiety. You may feel constantly stressed, worried, or afraid of more clutter accumulating. To allow our minds to find some peace, decluttering can lift that weight and help us to think clearer and feel calmer.
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oxfordcbt.co.uk
article
https://www.oxfordcbt.co.uk/stress-management-cleaning
Whether you think of cleaning as a meditative task, or an energetic throw yourself into it task. Either way, any form of exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins send messages to your brain that changes your perception of pain and will trigger positive emotions in your body. Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress and reduce anxiety, along with preventing depression. Cleaning will also have these effects on your body and mental health as long as these chores require some physical [...] 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 [...] There is a well known and long-established link between smells and scents and mental health, such as aromatherapy helping to reduce anxiety and stress. Particular smells can have a specific impact on your mind as well as your body, for instance, lavender is known to act as a sleep aid and would be a perfect scent for use in bedrooms. A musty and dirty smelling room is not going to have a positive effect on your mental health. Other scents that are linked to mental health are:
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nuvancehealth.org
news
https://www.nuvancehealth.org/health-tips-and-news/how-clutter-affects-your-b…
If a messy room has ever made you feel anxious or stressed out, you’re not alone — and there’s a biological reason for it. Clutter can trigger a stress response in the body. For example, a study found women who described their homes as “cluttered” had significantly higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day. Your brain releases cortisol when you’re under pressure; consistently elevated levels suggest the untidy environment genuinely taxed these women’s brains and bodies. [...] The bottom line: Clutter isn’t just a visual nuisance — it affects your brain health. Research shows clutter can overwhelm your mind, drain your focus, heighten stress and disrupt sleep. But don’t let clutter clutter your thoughts: By clearing your space and calming your thoughts, you can boost your attention, lower anxiety and have better cognitive and emotional well-being.
### Work with us [...] In short, clutter competes with your intended focus. Your brain’s attention system must constantly decide what to tune out and what to concentrate on, and the more clutter in the visual field or in your mind, the harder that job becomes. Over time, this can lead to reduced productivity and feeling you “just can’t concentrate.”
## The neuroscience of clutter and anxiety and stress
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sciencedirect.com
article
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494421000062
βmeaning = −0.19, p < .001; βachievement = −0.13, p = .017) except the relationship dimension that was approaching statistical significance (βrelationships = −.10, p = .054). In the present research, the five dimensions of the PERMA-Profiler were defined as indicators of a latent variable, termed psychological well-being (Cobo et al., 2020; Rogers and Hart, 2021). Likewise, anxiety and depression were defined as two indicators of psychological distress (Jiang et al., 2022; Molnar et al., 2023). [...] Food Microbiology, Volume 79, 2019, pp. 85-89 Nigel Cook, …, Martin D'Agostino
### A randomized control trial investigating high-intensity interval training and mental health: A novel non-responder phenotype related to anxiety in young adults
Mental Health and Physical Activity, Volume 18, 2020, Article 100327 Kristen M.Lucibello, …, Jennifer J.Heisz
### Hereditary and environmental factors of the Five-Factor Model traits: A cross-cultural study [...] well-being (i.e., positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement), and psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depression). Participants (_N_=388) reported their conspiracy mentality at Time 1 and then completed measures assessing perceived control, insomnia, psychological well-being, and psychological distress 1 month later at Time 2. We conducted regression analyses, structural equation modeling, and bootstrapping analyses to test our predictions that conspiracy