We are used to perceiving tidying up as a boring task or preparing for the arrival of guests. However, psychologists and neuroscientists are increasingly saying that cleanliness in the house directly affects mental health. When you clean not for the appreciation of others, but for your own comfort, the process becomes a powerful practice of self-care.
Reducing anxiety levels
Clutter isn’t just things scattered about, it’s a constant source. visual noise. Our brain reads chaos as a signal of unfinished business, which keeps the nervous system in background tension. Research shows that people living in cluttered spaces have cortisol (stress hormone) in the blood is consistently higher. By removing clutter from your eyes, you literally free up your brain resources for more important tasks and relaxation.
Feeling in control of reality
In a world where we can influence little globally, our own apartment becomes an island of stability. The cleaning process gives an instant and tangible result: what was dirty is now clean. This simple action brings back the feeling authorship of your life. Even dismantling one shelf in a closet can become the very lever that helps to cope with the feeling of helplessness during periods of life turbulence.
Dynamic Meditation
Monotonous activities such as washing dishes or dusting can work as grounding techniques. Concentrating on simple physical movements helps you disconnect from obsessive thoughts and worries about the future. This state is similar to meditation: you are in the moment “here and now”, focusing on tactile sensations and the smell of freshness. Such unloading the brain often leads to unexpected insights and solutions to complex problems.
Showing self respect
Cleaning “for yourself” is fundamentally different from cleaning “for others.” This is an act of self-respect. Living in purity means conveying to your subconscious that you are worthy of comfort and beauty every day, and not just on holidays. Fresh bed linen, clean windows and a free table create quality environmentwhich feeds your energy rather than taking it away. This is the basis on which a healthy attitude towards one’s own needs is built.
Order in the house inevitably leads to order in thoughts, turning the home from a place to spend the night into a real place of power.
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