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E
elevaterecoveryhomes.com
article
https://elevaterecoveryhomes.com/cleaning-as-self-care
## The Science Behind Clean Spaces and Mental Health
Numerous studies have demonstrated the connection between a clean environment and improved mental health – one study found that individuals who described their homes as cluttered experienced higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, throughout the day.
Your brain responds to your environment. When you’re surrounded by mess, your mind struggles to process information and make decisions. [...] 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. [...] Several mental health issues make cleaning difficult:
Depression
Lack of energy and motivation
Everything feels pointless
Can’t get started on tasks
Overwhelmed by basic activities
Anxiety
Perfectionism makes starting hard
Fear of not doing it right
Overwhelmed by the amount
Paralyzed by choices
ADHD
Trouble focusing on tasks
Getting distracted mid-clean
Difficulty with organization
Hard to maintain routines
Hoarding Disorder
N
news-medical.net
news
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Investigating-the-Link-between-Cleaning-a…
Bottom-up processes are the driver of top-down processes. When spaces are cleared the degree of bottom-up, stimulus-driven mechanisms are reduced, resulting in an increased ability to focus using top-down processes. Therefore, cleaning can indirectly affect mental health through a reduced pressure to multi-task. [...] 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. [...] The data demonstrated that the interior condition of the home was an instrumental factor affecting the physical health of the study subjects. That is, those with cleaner houses reported greater levels of health compared to those with more cluttered homes, which was similarly correlated with physical activity; those with positively rated internal and external environmental factors were more likely to be physically active.
## The Link Between Cleaning and Environmental Control
V
verywellmind.com
article
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-mental-health-and-cleaning-are-connected-509…
Research has found that cleaning can have a number of positive effects on your mental health. For instance, it helps you gain a sense of control over your environment and engage your mind in a repetitive activity that can have a calming effect. [...] For instance, a study published in the journal, Mindfulness, found that people who were mindful when washing dishes—in other words they took the time to smell the soap and to take in the experience—reported a 27% reduction in nervousness, along with a 25% improvement in "mental inspiration."
Moreover, having clean sheets and making your bed may also help you get a better night's rest. When you get more rest, that provides a whole host of mental health benefits including an improved mood. [...] 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
F
fepblue.org
news
https://www.fepblue.org/news/2023/02/08/17/34/The-Mental-Power-of-Cleaning
The connection between body, mind and cleaning is a deep one. In fact, one study found that people with cleaner houses were, on average, healthier than those living in cluttered homes. While researchers point out the study raises some questions, it does suggest a strong link between the interior condition of a home and physical activity. [...] The connection between body, mind and cleaning is a deep one. In fact, one study found that people with cleaner houses were, on average, healthier than those living in cluttered homes. While researchers point out the study raises some questions, it does suggest a strong link between the interior condition of a home and physical activity. [...] Accumulation. Clutter. Dust. A messy home or workspace can take its toll on your mental health and wreak havoc on your productivity. But understanding why can help you take charge.
Clutter can feel like chaos—especially when life feels most hectic. But decluttering is a great way to regain control of your environment. By cleaning, sorting and organizing, you are engaging with your surroundings in a positive way. Your mind will be at ease and your space will be much cleaner.
Y
youtube.com
video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVlbS04uQAc
Feeling anxious, stressed or unable to focus? Take a look around you. Clutter, mess or an untidy work area can make some people feel overwhelmed. In fact, research shows that cleaning (or a lack of cleaning) can have an impact on your mental health. Clinical psychologist, Dawn Potter, PsyD, discusses tips for decluttering, how mess can contribute to depression and tension and hoarding disorder.
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▶For more Health Essentials video podcasts: [...] as cluttered or complained about you know the unfinished projects that we all have uh these people were more likely to suffer from depression and fatigue while those who described their home as restful and restorative um were more likely just to be happier and have better mental health so there definitely seems to be some sort of connection um in most people between you know the being clean and organized and having better mental health and i know we've you know touched on it here and there but [...] just kind of overwhelmed they find that cleaning helps them restore a sense of control i think that the the act of cleaning itself of course is a physical act and so if depending on how much cleaning we're doing how vigorous we're getting we actually may be getting a bit of a workout um and even if not it's just something that gets us up and moving and being you know in control of our environment um the other thing i think that you know in terms of health benefits for some people uh keeping
P
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 [...] From this general hypothesis, three specific predictions can be derived and tested. (a) Cleaning can be physically enacted or visually simulated. To the extent that detailed mental simulation partially reenacts the sensorimotor and introspective states of actual experience (Barsalou, 2008), visually simulated cleaning in a concrete manner should produce qualitatively similar effects to actual physical cleaning. (b) Stressors can be physical or psychological in nature. Existing work on cleaning [...] ## 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
O
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 [...] This one is particularly true if you share your living environment with other people. Whether you are sharing with a partner, friends, housemates, there is always a chance that you won’t all feel the same way about cleaning. Seeing someone’s dirty clothes around, unwashed plates or a messy bathroom can cause negative feelings of resentment towards the person responsible, and the negative feelings then in turn will have an impact on your mental health. You must discuss your shared responsibility [...] yet to complete. Keeping clutter and mess at a minimum will have a positive effect on your focus, stress and mental health.
E
extension.usu.edu
research
https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/the-mental-benefits-of-declut…
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 [...] Remember, life can be stressful enough when you don’t have to spend hours cleaning and straightening. Consider using these tips to keep your clutter manageable and do what works best for you.
## References:
Boyes, A. (2018). 6 Benefits of an Uncluttered Space. Psychology Today.
Gordon, S. (2021). The Relationship Between Mental Health and Cleaning. Verywell Mind.
Deevoy, R. (2021). Why decluttering is good for your mental health. Calm-moment.