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healthcentral.com
article
https://www.healthcentral.com/mental-health/benefits-of-cleaning
# How And Why Cleaning Can Improve Your Mental Health
If you’re stressed or anxious, doing household chores like organizing drawers, washing dishes, or mopping floors, can boost your mood and reduce your anxiety. Here's a look at the connection and some expert advice to help you get started if you're feeling stuck.
By
Nancy Josephson Liff
(Image: iStock) [...] Washing dishes, mopping floors, and yes, ironing can be calming—especially when conducted in a mindful way.
A 2015 study conducted by student and faculty researchers at Florida State University found that mindful student dishwashers—those who focused on the smell of the soap, the warmth of the water, and the feel of the dishes—experienced a 27% decrease in nervousness and a 25% hike in mental inspiration, while the control group received no benefits.³ [...] Straighten out your paper piles and discard anything you're finished with before you shut down your computer for the night. Some people use lists to ease their anxiety. If you're nervous that you'll forget where you left off, making a list of where to get started in the morning might be helpful. Taking a few minutes to tidy your desk provides a sense of closure, not to mention the energy you'll feel in the morning when you start your workday in a more organized space.
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gundersenhealth.org
article
https://www.gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/mental-health-relationships/6…
If your job has shifted from an office setting to home, try to keep your work and home life separate. This may mean transitioning a room in your house to an office and closing the door when you're done for the day. Alternately, if you work in a more common area of your home, pack up your materials at the end of the day and put them away. This can help lessen anxiety stemming from your job.
## Connect with loved ones. [...] ## Get active.
Exercise releases feel-good hormones like endorphins, which can alter your mood for the better. Walk your dog, dance, go for a run, play with your kiddos or try anything else that gets you moving. Meditation and deep breathing also can help.
## Challenge your brain.
Focusing on the present moment often helps ease anxiety. Puzzles, crosswords, word searches and other games can keep your thoughts from wandering.
## Enjoy nature. [...] ## Enjoy nature.
Being outside has a calming effect. You don't have to climb a mountain to reap the benefits either. Just a quick walk through a park can have big payoffs when it comes to mindset.
## Designate a workspace.
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ketamineclinics.com
article
https://ketamineclinics.com/our-blogs/coping-with-stress-and-anxiety-with-cle…
It sounds counterintuitive; after all, routine chores and never-ending housework can sometimes feel like just one more thing on an endless “to do” list. Yet it seems that for many people, housecleaning can actually provide a simple, easy way to help ease anxiety! In fact, cleaning offers a number of benefits when it comes to offering relief from worry and anxiety. In some cases, the act of itself cleaning may be the solution; cleaning requires a soothing, repetitive rhythm that can distract [...] Cleaning involves smooth, repetitive, predictable movements such as pushing a mop back and forth across the floor, wiping a duster across the shelves, or circling a sponge across the countertop. As your mind focuses on these simple, task-driven movements, it can more easily block out the negative thoughts at the root of your anxiety. In other words, the repetitive act of cleaning can have a similar positive effect on the brain as more traditional types of meditation. [...] The tasks in our lives can seem endless and overwhelming with no end in sight. Cleaning can be easily broken down in a series of small steps with measurable, easily-visible results. In other words, when you are done cleaning the bathroom, you can see a clean, sparkling bathroom and “check it off the list”. That sense of satisfaction, of a job well done, provides a sense of accomplishment that counteracts anxiety and negative thinking.
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healthpartners.com
article
https://www.healthpartners.com/blog/tips-for-reducing-stress-at-home
It can be helpful to bucket your tasks and set a schedule for what needs to be done daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. For example:
Creating a calm, happy environment is a start. But how you spend your time can reduce home stress even more. [...] 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. [...] Of course, it’s easy to stop seeing things that are right in front of you. So, when you’re feeling stress at home, be mindful of the items around you and seek out the ones that bring you joy.
### 3. Use essential oils for your home and self-care
Smells matter! For example, fresh-baked cookies can remind you of good times with your family – plus they can cover up any funky smells like your son’s super-stinky socks.
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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 [...] ## 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. [...] 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
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rightasrain.uwmedicine.org
article
https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/life/leisure/cleaning-and-mental-health
This means that to reduce anxiety and improve your well-being, it’s important to figure out the stressors in your life and environment that you do have control over and how you can work on them so that your overall anxiety can go down. Which is where Browning thinks that something like tidying your house can come into play. [...] "You know, fold and put away the laundry that’s been on the couch — your anxiety level drops at least a little bit, even if there's still plenty of existential crisis to indulge in,” says Browning.
Acknowledging that you can’t control everything but that you can address some small things (like your living space) is a move in a positive direction for your well-being and stress management. After all, it feels good to fix something and cross something off your list, even if it's small. [...] Not only that, but it can also increase feelings of stress and anxiety. It's difficult to relax in an environment where your brain is distracted by the things around you that need to be done, put away, cleaned or reset. It’s like a constant reminder of the tasks you need to do, which can then overwhelm you into doing nothing.
Anne Browning, PhD, chief well-being officer at the UW School of Medicine, agrees that your mind, to some degree, can parallel your space.
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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. [...] This doesn’t mean you need to clean out your closet every week. But everyday tidying and maintenance, like making your bed every day, may have surprising dividends. I often suggest engaging in a two-week trial period for any new habit or behavior. This helps people to assess whether the behavior has any real benefits before deciding whether to commit to it. Additionally, it is usually easier to find the motivation to continue a behavior once we fully understand and experience the benefits of [...] Someone dealing with significant stressors in their work or life may actively choose to let things at home go untended for a while to focus on more important issues.
Physical limitations can also prevent someone from organizing their space as they usually would, which could increase distress, anxiety, and depression for those who are already grappling with these limitations.
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lightonanxiety.com
article
https://lightonanxiety.com/anxiety-disorders/stuck-at-home-practical-activiti…
Discover effective practical activities to regain control and reduce anxiety and depression. Find professional support at Light On Anxiety.