At some point, all parents ask their child, make your bed and clean up your room. Do they do this automatically – subconsciously? Or do they understand the benefits of a clean space? Either way, it doesn’t really matter, because they had a reason to do it.
As adults, we tend to believe that a clean home is synonymous with success and well-being. Perhaps because of social pressure, or because our parents raised us that way, or because our body tells us it’s necessary. On some level, all these answers are true.
Our physical and mental health is greatly influenced by the environment around us. The biggest companies in the world invest a lot of money in their offices. Not just to provide a motivating workspace for their employees, but also because they care about their health and productivity.
It’s your responsibility to make your home a safe place to stay, to help you live a healthier life. Here are some reasons why:
You’ll Be More Active
It’s never too late to clean up your household. But, it’s much easier to tidy and clean your house regularly. If you allow work to build up, you’ll feel discouraged and won’t find the energy to get moving. We all sometimes feel paralyzed, not knowing where to start. It’s much easier to do all our tasks gradually, a little bit every day, to avoid letting things get out of control.
Also, doing housework is a form of physical activity. Especially for those who drive for a living or work in an office. Housework is a great way to reduce sitting hours in a day. Dr. Edward Laskowski notes that “Reducing sitting time is important, too. The more hours you sit each day, the higher your risk of metabolic problems. Sitting too much can negatively impact your health and longevity, even if you get the recommended amount of daily physical activity.”
You’ll Be Less Stressed
A Harvard Business Review study highlights the fact that people living in a messy environment are more stressed and prone to anxiety. The study’s participants are all mothers. Those living in a tidy house have a lower level of cortisol – the stress hormone – than the mothers living in a messy space. And since children feel their parents’ stress, it’s important to be serious about tidying up of the environment they will grow up in.
For many people, it’s very difficult to rest properly when there’s a lot of housework to do. So we have to find a happy medium. You have enough to worry about with your house just to keep it organized, without having to be obsessed over it. The other side of the equation is moderation. House cleaning should not become its own source of unnecessary stress. Don’t hesitate to delegate your cleaning to professionals if you can afford it.
Your stress level will also be reduced because people sleep better at night in an organized room. Household therapy is a way of taking time for yourself. Take a few minutes each night to walk around your house and put away the things that were moved around in the evening. You can take a moment to reflect upon your day. You’ll go to bed with a shorter to-do list in your head for the next day. And so you’ll be better rested in the morning. Firstly, because you fell asleep faster. Secondly, because you won’t start the day facing your mess from the previous day.
You’ll Make Better Choices
There are many different parts of healthy living. Whether it’s food, sport, happiness at work or just the people around you, there are many factors that influence your experience of life. All these facets of health have one thing in common: they’re all personal to you. The only person who can make sensible choices for you is yourself.
A study published in 2013 by the Association for Psychological Science tested the choices made by people in both orderly and disorderly environments. The goal was to find out if people really are influenced by his space. The group of people in the tidy environment was more likely to choose healthy options for food and make more financially sensible choices. On the contrary, people living in a mess tended to choose the most harmful options for them.
Your home’s impact on your life and happiness is a lot bigger than what you see on a daily basis.
You’ll Be Sick Less Often
Obviously, the air you breathe every day can make the difference between good or bad respiratory health. Vacuuming and cleaning the air ducts regularly is essential to reduce allergens in the home. Especially if you have pets.
Allergy specialists at Mayo Clinic say that a thorough housekeeping routine will prevent you from living in a house that makes you sick. You should never feel miserable in your own home.
People who aren’t normally sensitive may also develop allergies if they are surrounded by an abnormal amount of allergens.
Make sure to control the humidity in your home to reduce mold. Whenever the seasons change, inspect the areas where mold could grow. For pet hair and dust, vacuum every week, or twice a week, and do not let pets sleep in your bed. Cigarette smoke can also affect the health of your lungs, so ask your guests or family members to smoke outdoors at all times.
Professionals agree that a clean house is the first step towards a healthy and prosperous life. You have the power to give yourself the best chance to be happy and feel good about yourself. So here’s to all our vacuums, for giving us a higher quality of life!
