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reachlink.com
article
https://www.reachlink.com/advice/anxiety/clutter-and-anxiety
Research shows that clutter creates visual chaos that overwhelms the brain's processing capacity. When we're surrounded by disorganized items, our cortisol levels can increase, and our ability to focus diminishes. The brain interprets clutter as unfinished business, creating a persistent low-level stress response. This constant stimulation can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, difficulty concentrating, and increased anxiety symptoms. [...] Clutter affects people through multiple psychological pathways. For some, it creates a constant low-grade stress response as their brain struggles to filter out irrelevant visual information. Others experience shame, overwhelm, or a sense of losing control over their environment. The effects can include difficulty concentrating, increased irritability, sleep disruption, and avoidance of having guests over. These impacts vary dramatically based on individual sensitivity levels and underlying [...] What researchers now call clutter stress syndrome describes the cumulative effect of living with chronic environmental stress. Unlike acute stress, which spikes and resolves, clutter creates a persistent burden on your stress management systems. Your body remains in a state of mild but constant alert, never fully recovering between exposures because the trigger, your cluttered environment, surrounds you daily.
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stilwellmemorial.com
article
https://stilwellmemorial.com/healthy-living/the-impact-of-clutter-on-physical…
Increased cortisol levels, especially in women. Cortisol is a hormone associated with chronic stress.
Feeling less satisfaction with life overall.
Inability to focus, which is especially significant if you have ADHD.
Being embarrassed by the clutter, causing you to feel an increased sense of isolation and fear, especially of inviting anyone over. This is one way hoarding contributes to depression and anxiety.
Sensory overload, triggered by a messy space, which may result in memory issues. [...] Remember, eliminating the mounds and piles of “stuff” is an effective first step in solving the clutter problem. Maintaining the tidy space through an organizational system or professional cleaner/organizer can help stop the clutter from building up in the first place. This two-step process can put a stop to the ongoing clutter and the anxious or depressed feelings that can come with it. [...] types of biopsies
Life can get busy, and we all find ourselves feeling a bit disorganized sometimes. Over half of Americans find themselves stressed out by untidy spaces in their homes. The stress that clutter causes can be handled with a quick cleanup, usually. But if clutter is left unchecked, it can have a detrimental effect on our emotional health as well as our physical health.
## How Clutter Affects Our Physical Health
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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. [...] Related content: How inflammation in the body affects your health
Clutter-induced stress can often become a difficult cycle to break. Disorganization can cause anxiety because you feel pressured by the constant visual reminder of things left undone or disorganized. This in turn makes it harder to muster the energy and focus to clean up the clutter. [...] When you walk into a chaotic kitchen or trip over clutter on the floor, your brain registers that disarray as a source of stress. It might not be a saber-toothed tiger, but your ancient fight-or-flight mechanisms still kick in with a mild sense of alarm: Something’s not right here. Over time, living in a state of chronic low-grade stress can contribute to anxiety, heightened cortisol, inflammation in the body and even depression.
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apa.org
news
https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/clutter
years, psychologist research has begun to find that living and working in cluttered spaces causes stress and anxiety and can harm both our mental health and our productivity. [...] and clutter. So the more clutter you have, the lower people report life satisfaction. Greater the stress. So here we are living in this consumer culture, but more and more, more. Buy, buy, buy. Well, you’re actually not living a good complete life because you’ll be less satisfied. [...] It’s tiring. It’s exhausting. As we said, it could be an emotional trigger, but we know that the more clutter leads to more depression, more mood disorders. As I said earlier, lower psychological wellbeing, life satisfaction, negative emotions about the self. People with lots of clutter do lots of self devaluing the data shows. We didn’t do this study, but a study had been done that found it’s related to over consumption of unhealthy foods. So people with lots of clutter tend to eat a lot maybe
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www1.racgp.org.au
news
https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/what-does-clutter-do-to-your-brain-…
Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Research from the United States in 2009, for instance, found the levels of the stress hormone cortisol were higher in mothers whose home environment was cluttered.
A chronically cluttered home environment can lead to a constant low-grade fight or flight response, taxing our resources designed for survival. [...] Charity groups such as St Vincent de Paul are reporting a 38% increase in donations, year on year, as we get rid of the clothes, books and household items that don’t ‘spark joy’ or have a place in our future.
And there is good reason to get on board, whether it’s via the KonMari method, or just having a good clear-out. Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus. [...] And surprisingly, it doesn’t go away when we finally get to bed. People who sleep in cluttered rooms are more likely to have sleep problems, including difficulty falling asleep and being disturbed during the night.
Clutter-hero.jpg
People have been found to produce more stress hormones when they are surrounded by clutter.
Could clutter really make us overweight?
Multiple studies have found a link between clutter and poor eating choices.
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verywellmind.com
article
https://www.verywellmind.com/decluttering-our-house-to-cleanse-our-minds-5101511
Ideally, home is a place where we can rest and relax. However, clutter can make it hard to do that. One study found that women who reported more clutter in their homes had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day compared to women who had less clutter.
Clutter can also contribute to household chaos, which is associated with worse parenting practices, negative emotions, and stress.
### Difficulty Focusing [...] You might tell yourself, I'll declutter eventually. But time keeps passing, and your home, office, or car is still filled to the brim with stuff. If any of this resonates with you, you're not alone. But many people don't realize the connection between clutter and mental health.
Accumulating a few extra possessions may not seem like a big deal, but clutter can negatively impact your mental health. It can increase stress levels, make it hard to focus, strain relationships, and more. [...] A therapist can teach you healthy coping mechanisms to deal with the anxiety, stress, or guilt that may arise from getting rid of clutter.
McMains S, Kastner S. Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in human visual cortex. Journal of Neuroscience. 2011;31(2):587-597. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3766-10.2011
Saxbe DE, Repetti R. No place like home: Home tours correlate with daily patterns of mood and cortisol. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2009;36(1):71-81. doi:10.1177/0146167209352864
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psychologytoday.com
article
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/high-octane-women/201203/why-mess-cau…
5. Clutter makes us anxious because we're never sure what it's going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile.
6. Clutter creates feelings of guilt ("I should be more organized") and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or workspaces.
7. Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem-solve. [...] Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Messy homes and workspaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives.
Why does mess lead to so much stress? [...] 1. Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important.
2. Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on.
3. Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.
4. Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.
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webmd.com
article
https://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/slideshow-clutter-affects-health
When everything is in order, you know exactly where you put your glasses and keys so you can grab them and go on with your day. That saves time and a whole lot of hassle. In one study, women who saw their homes as cluttered had high levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day, while those who described their abode as a well-organized, restful space had lower levels.
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## It Doesn’t Get Easier [...] A neat, tidy house feels inviting, both for the people who live there as well as guests. A cluttered home may feel the opposite. But shutting people out can take a toll on relationships and make you feel sad and lonely. That could be one reason a hoarding disorder tends to overlap with depression and anxiety disorders.
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## Slips and Falls