Cleaning Your Home Can Greatly Reduce Your Stress Levels, Studies Say

If you’re like most people, cleaning the house may probably be the last thing you’d want to do whenever you’re stressed. Most of us want to chill out and so we go out and watch a movie, dine somwhere, play sports with our buddies, hit the gym, or maybe just stay at home to take a nap.

However, a recent study tells us that the act of cleaning can actually be good for our emotional well-being. Indeed, experts have discovered that tidying up can lead to happiness and reduced stress levels.

Sounds strange, you say? Well read on and learn.

In a SmartParenting feature, we hear about a study commissioned by cleaning company Mr. Clean. In the said study, 62 adults ages 25 to 45 were asked to do different kitchen cleaning tasks while wearing a Shimmer device, a gadget that kept track of their involuntary bodily responses such as galvanic skin response (GSR) and heart rate (HR).

According to the researchers, every participant confessed that they felt peace of mind and sense of control while they were busy cleaning. Once they were done, they said they felt “more inspired and proud, less jittery, nervous and hostile.”

Eventually, we learn that 81% of the group gained “a sense of accomplishment after finishing their chores” while 66% admitted that they did “more cleaning than they had originally planned due to the rush they felt while cleaning.”

Furthermore, a 2018 study sponsored by Clorox surveyed 2,000 adults in the US which discovered that people who loved cleaning were happier by 25% more compared with those who did not.

Regular cleaning was also often linked to health benefits such as “improved relaxation, enhanced focus, higher productivity, and even better sleep,” the SP article said.

So yes, next time you’re feeling stressed, remember that the best cure may be to do some chores. Besides, seeing your house really, really messy can just add to your headache.