Cleaning can be tedious. There are other things that you would rather be doing like catching up with a friend or taking the kids out. But aside from being more hygienic, keeping your home clean is actually much more beneficial than you might realise. Here we’ll look at some of the surprising benefits of having a clean home and why it should be more of a priority.
1. Lowers Stress Levels
One or two items lying around may not seem to matter at first glance. But soon things can start to pile up and lead to a massive amount of clutter. It turns out that a disorderly space can affect your mental health.
A study published in the Personality and Social Psychology found a link between clutter and higher cortisol levels – The hormone that regulates stress in the body. People who had described their home as “unfinished” experienced higher depressive moods over the course of the day.
2. Increases Your Productivity
A cluttered space inhibits your ability to concentrate which can affect your productivity. A study published in Current Psychology found a link between clutter and procrastination across all age groups. If you work at home, then a clean environment is a must to work more productively.
Another study notes that “multiple stimuli present in the visual field at the same time compete for neural representation.” In other words, too many things in a cluttered space compete for your attention which could be distracting you from getting your work done.
3. Reduces Risk of Physical Injury
Any loose items on the floor make it difficult to safely navigate your home. You might be momentarily distracted and accidentally trip on something.. Even worse is when objects are stacked on top of each other. Something might fall on you which could lead to a serious injury.
Clearing away clutter then is important for your personal safety. Anything that is blocking doorways is also particularly dangerous as it could impede your ability to escape or prevent emergency personnel from providing assistance.
4. Makes You More Fit
It’s true. All that moving around means that you’re burning calories in the process. You won’t necessarily burn more calories than a full high intensity workout at the gym. But cleaning your home is definitely a more invigorating alternative than sitting on the couch.
The number of calories you burn depends on what you do and for how long. You can burn more calories though by combining house cleaning with intensive workouts. For example, with carpet cleaning, you can step into a lunge as you move back and forth. This helps to build your glutes and overall core muscles.
5. Makes Positive Changes to Your Diet
Have you ever turned to junk food when you felt particularly stressed? Turns out you’re not alone as many people “stress eat” in response to certain situations like problems at work or relationship struggles. These aren’t the only reasons why people reach for unhealthy snacks when times get tough.
A study published in Psychology Science presented participants with different food choices. Participants in the orderly room were more likely to choose healthy snacks than those in the disorderly room. By keeping spaces clean, you can enable a more positive change to your diet.
6. Reduces Food Poisoning
Food poisoning can occur from eating contaminated food at any point of production. Unhygienic practices such as handling food on dirty surfaces can also lead to food poisoning. Wiping down kitchen surfaces with disinfecting wipes can greatly reduce the risk of contaminating your food.
Keeping a home clean is undoubtedly hard work. But doing so not only creates more hygienic spaces but is also beneficial for your physical and mental health in the long term.
Author’s Bio
Alex Morrison has worked with a range of businesses giving him an in depth understanding of many different industries including home improvement, financial support and health care. He has used his knowledge and experience to work for clients as diverse as MyHome Carper Cleaning, Cosh Living and Me Bank to help them reach their business goals.
