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verywellmind.com
article
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-mental-health-and-cleaning-are-connected-509…
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. Cleaning can also reduce fatigue and improve concentration.
### Cleanliness and Focus [...] 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. 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. [...] So, if you're feeling the urge to clean and declutter when you're stressed, your mind and body are probably looking for a way to bring some order to your environment.
### Cleanliness and Mood
Aside from the benefits of having a cleaner home, the relationship between a clean house and mental health can help you reduce your anxiety.
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elevaterecoveryhomes.com
article
https://elevaterecoveryhomes.com/cleaning-as-self-care
Your home reflects your mental state. When your space is cluttered, your mind feels the same way. Research shows that messy environments increase stress hormones, make it harder to focus, and contribute to anxiety and depression. But cleaning isn’t just about having a tidy house – it’s an act of self-care that directly impacts your emotional well-being. Understanding this connection can change how you think about household chores and give you a practical tool for managing your mental health. [...] A clean space supports a clear mind. And a clear mind supports recovery.
### The Bottom Line
The connection between a clean space and mental well-being is undeniable – by understanding the psychological impact of our surroundings, we can harness the therapeutic benefits of a tidy environment.
Cleaning isn’t just about having a nice-looking home. It’s about:
Managing stress and anxiety
Creating a sense of control
Building confidence
Providing a safe haven
Supporting your mental health [...] When life feels uncertain, cleaning is a tangible action you can manage – it can restore a sense of agency when everything else feels chaotic.
## The Mental Health Benefits of Cleaning
### Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Cluttered spaces can contribute to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety—when your environment is disorganized, your mind tends to feel the same way, and by systematically cleaning and organizing, you can create a sense of order and control, reducing stress levels.
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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. [...] 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.
## References:
## Further Reading [...] The study used a sample of 51 university students engaged in either mindful or controlled dishwashing practices; these participants were asked to complete measures of mindfulness, experimental, and effect recall. The outcome suggested that mindful dishwashers experienced the greatest states of mindfulness, with a subsequent increase in positive effects (i.e. feeling inspired) as well as a decrease in negative effects such as nervousness.
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oxfordcbt.co.uk
article
https://www.oxfordcbt.co.uk/stress-management-cleaning
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 [...] 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 [...] ## How to Incorporate Cleaning Into Your Life
1 Start small and do a little bit each day. The thought of having to clean your house from top to bottom in one day can be daunting and will only add to any stress or anxiety you are feeling. Don’t make your to-do list bigger than what you can handle mentally. To begin with, choose one thing to do today, and then something else tomorrow and so on. You won’t then be faced with a daunting feeling when you come to cleaning.
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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
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, [...] 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 [...] ## 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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gardenstatepain.com
news
https://www.gardenstatepain.com/post/spring-cleaning-for-mental-health-how-de…
### The Mental Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning
#### 1. Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Cluttered spaces can contribute to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. When your environment is disorganized, your mind tends to feel the same way. By systematically cleaning and organizing, you can create a sense of order and control, reducing stress levels and making it easier to relax.
#### 2. Boosting Mood and Productivity [...] Spring is a season of renewal, making it the perfect time to refresh your living space and, in turn, your mind. Many people associate spring cleaning with dusting, organizing, and deep cleaning, but did you know that decluttering can also have profound mental health benefits? A clean, organized environment can reduce stress, increase productivity, and enhance your overall sense of well-being. In this blog, we will explore the connection between cleanliness and mental health, along with [...] By treating spring cleaning as an act of self-care, you can transform your home into a sanctuary that supports mental clarity and emotional well-being. The connection between a clean space and a healthy mind is undeniable, making now the perfect time to start your journey toward a refreshed and rejuvenated life.
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psychologytoday.com
article
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-truisms-wellness/201607/the-power…
A 2010 study published in the scientific journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin used linguistic analysis software to measure the way 60 individuals discussed their homes. Women who described their living spaces as “cluttered” or full of “unfinished projects” were more likely to be depressed and fatigued than women who described their homes as “restful” and “restorative.” The researchers also found that women with cluttered homes expressed higher levels of the stress hormone [...] the stress hormone cortisol. [...] Mental Health
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anzmh.asn.au
article
https://anzmh.asn.au/blog/the-connection-between-our-environment-our-mental-h…
Jan 18, 2022 — That's because the act of cleaning releases endorphins, which help improve our mood and focus. However, just telling you to clean isn't ...Read more