Guide To The Mental Health Benefits Of Spring Cleaning

Eliminate Sources of Stress

There are countless different kinds of stressors, otherwise known as sources of stress, out there. Sometimes they are not tangible objects, but rather intangible things such as specific situations or memories. In all of these cases, clutter in the home keeps many sources of stress around. Popular examples include photos or other reminders of stressful memories, actual objects causing stress (e.g., some are stressed when appliances, electronics, and such are broke and thus do not work). Sometimes the clutter itself is a tangible source of stress! Whatever the case is, spring cleaning the home and getting rid of the clutter also eliminates many sources of stress. Or, at least, it can if the individual cleaning makes it a point to focus on eliminating these stressors.

Keep reading to discover how spring cleaning and physical exercise have the same mental health benefits.

Mimics Effects Of Traditional Exercise

When an individual is looking to improve their mental health, one of the main elements psychologists recommend is to ensure they are getting thirty minutes of exercise in five times a day. This is because exercise promotes the production and release of endorphins and serotonin, the body's happy chemicals, along with other benefits such as interrupting negative thoughts and loosening tense muscles. When it comes to exercise, most individuals think of going to the gym, playing sports, or about any other form of traditional exercise. What is important to recognize, however, is spring cleaning also gets you active. It might be scrubbing down the bathtub, mopping the floors, carrying out clutter to the curb, or any other spring cleaning activity. In all cases, spring cleaning gets the body moving, and though it is different to traditional exercise, it still promotes the production of endorphins and serotonin. Thus, spring cleaning can provide the same mental health benefits as exercise, such as loosening tense muscles, interrupting negative thoughts, and releasing endorphins.

Continue reading to learn about how spring cleaning provides boosts in self-confidence.