SUMMARY:
- Unpleasant life
circumstances can make you feel helpless. The best way to get over it is to do
something that boosts your confidence in your powers. That's when cleaning
stops being a boring chore and turns into an
activity that calms you down!
- Living in a messy
environment can add stress to your life. But when you take the time to organize
your stuff while cleaning, you do yourself a favor in the long run.
- Cleaning is just as good
for letting out your energy and blowing off steam! It can also help you deal
with the restlessness that you might feel when you're anxious.
- Your brain asks for
comfort food to deal with the stress that stems from untidy surroundings. So
look around the next time you order pizza.
- Some people like cleaning
because it’s a ritual. After a rough day, it helps them leave all the worries
behind them and focus on a well-known activity.
- Don’t go to extremes like
vacuuming your living room twice a day or getting irritated if you spot a few
stains on your cooker.
- Several studies confirmed
that chewing for even a few minutes can reduce anxiety and lower the level of
cortisol, the “stress hormone.”
- Another activity that can
ease your anxiety is knitting. Many people have reported the soothing effect of
this hobby because of its repetitive nature.
- You might not be in
kindergarten anymore, but coloring is definitely something worth trying if you
need to chill out! Within the last decade, the popularity of coloring books for
adults has soared.
Feeling agitated and
finding it hard to concentrate?
It's not a secret that
everyone feels anxious sometimes.
Though it's usually
impossible to eliminate everything that can cause stress, there is
a way to fight this
unpleasant feeling.
No, I'm not talking about
meditation or breathing exercises.
I'm talking about cleaning!
It might sound strange, but
there are people who feel less anxious and stressed when engaged
in cleaning.
How can doing the dishes or
washing the floor have such an effect?
Well, there are several
explanations.
Apparently, cleaning makes
you feel powerful and in control of the space you live in.
As we all know, life is
full of unpredictable situations, and sometimes we can't affect
them in any way.
Unpleasant life
circumstances can make you feel helpless.
The best way to get over it
is to do something that boosts your confidence in your powers.
That's when cleaning stops
being a boring chore and turns into an activity that calms
you down!
You make a to-do list for
your cleaning session, and each time you get to tick off a new point,
you feel a sense of
achievement.
And when you're finally
done, the sight of a spotless house reminds you that you can
set goals and work toward
them.
Keeping that in mind is
really important whenever you’re feeling down or worrying about something
that’s out of your hands.
Whatever the future holds
for me, I'm ready for it!
As long as I remember where
I put my mop…
Anyways, let's move on.
Have you ever felt
frustrated because you couldn't find the thing you needed?
Yeah, we've all been there!
Living in a messy
environment can add stress to your life.
But when you take the time
to organize your stuff while cleaning, you do yourself a favor
in the long run.
A 2010 study published in
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin revealed that women
who described their homes
as messy experienced more depressing moods during the day than
those who said that their
home environments made them feel relaxed.
This study proves that to
feel good, we need a space where we feel safe and comfortable.
When your house is a mess,
you're more likely to worry and feel stressed.
That's why it's good to
have everything in its place!
Besides, it simply saves
time when you know exactly where to look for something.
Of course, we're all
different.
Otherwise, there would be
no arguing about whose turn it is to take out the trash, right?
So not everyone shares this
idea.
Some people feel totally
fine in a cluttered space.
But those who pay attention
to details and don't like chaos prefer to avoid situations
that make them feel
confused.
Keeping their home neat and
tidy helps them with that for sure!
Another reason why cleaning
can ease your anxiety is that it's a form of physical activity.
It's a well-known fact that
physical activity boosts your mental health.
But most people think it
has to be some kind of sport.
But, hey!
Cleaning is just as good
for letting out your energy and blowing off steam!
It can also help you deal
with the restlessness that you might feel when you're anxious.
Of course, not every task
on your cleaning list will do the trick.
It has to be something that
involves vigorous body movements — like mopping the floor.
OK, I definitely need to
find that mop!
According to the Scottish
Health Survey, carrying out regular, active housework might have cut
anxiety and stress by up to
20% in the 3,000 people who reported the positive effects of
doing chores.
Moreover, the state of your
environment can define your food choices!
A 2013 study in
Psychological Science investigated this interesting correlation, comparing
people
who worked in a tidy space
with those who worked in a messy office.
People from the first group
chose an apple over a chocolate bar more often than people
from the second group.
This probably happens
because your brain asks for comfort food to deal with the stress that
stems from untidy
surroundings.
So look around the next
time you order pizza.
Maybe it’s a sign that your
place needs cleaning!
And if you’re going to
stick to a diet, keeping your home clean can help you avoid
a slip-up!
Last but not least, some
people like cleaning because it’s a ritual.
After a rough day, it helps
them leave all the worries behind them and focus on a well-known
activity.
Your brain is designed in
such a way that repetitive actions have a soothing effect
if you’re stressed out.
Though there’s no denying
the fact that dusting doesn’t seem exciting, such a simple
activity can temporarily
take your mind off whatever’s worrying you.
And after completing your
ritual, you feel like you deserve to be rewarded.
You can take a long, hot
bath or watch your favorite TV show without feeling guilty for
wasting your time!
But like any activity,
cleaning shouldn’t promote any obsessive behavior.
Don’t go to extremes like
vacuuming your living room twice a day or getting irritated
if you spot a few stains on
your cooker.
Otherwise, it will only
raise your stress level.
Cleaning once or twice a
week is enough.
Of course, if you have kids
or pets, you might need to do it more often.
At least now you’re going
to tackle the task with a different attitude, keeping in
mind all those benefits
that cleaning has for your mental health!
If you’re not a fan of
cleaning, there are other things that can help you feel less anxious.
One of them is so simple
that it’s hard to believe!
Are you ready to hear it?
OK, here it is: chewing
gum!
Whatever flavor you choose,
be it minty, fruity, or bubblegum, chomping on a stick of gum is
the easiest way to beat
stress.
And several studies
confirmed that chewing for even a few minutes can reduce anxiety
and lower the level of
cortisol, the “stress hormone.”
Just keep in mind that it’s
better to choose sugar-free gum because it also helps clean
your teeth and reduces
cavities.
And, obviously, it contains
fewer calories, which might be important for you if you’re
on a diet.
Another activity that can
ease your anxiety is knitting.
No, it’s not only for grandmas!
Many people have reported
the soothing effect of this hobby because of its repetitive nature.
Besides, it keeps your
hands busy, releasing the body tension that usually comes with feeling
stressed.
Your attention gets shifted
from all that worrying to counting and switching stitches.
So, instead of focusing on
your panic and all the physical symptoms that come with it,
you concentrate on
something external.
On top of that, it’s a cool
hobby!
You can knit stuff for
yourself or your friends.
You don’t even have to be
good for it to help you.
Just get creative, and have
fun!
And if your grandma offers
to teach you to knit, think twice before turning down that
offer!
One more trick to calm down
your nerves is scheduling your worry.
People who tend to feel anxious
constantly overthink everything.
They either come back to
the past and relive old situations that it’s hard to let go
of or try to envision the
future — mostly in an unfavorable light.
This can be really
exhausting and energy-draining.
What’s more, it only makes
your anxiety worse.
All you need to do is pick
a time when you’re free to give in to those disturbing thoughts.
For example, twice a week
for half an hour.
During this period, allow
yourself to worry to your heart’s content.
Pretty soon, you’ll notice
that knowing you have a specific time for it helps you
keep your anxiety at bay
during the rest of the week.
You might not be in
kindergarten anymore, but coloring is definitely something worth
trying if you need to chill
out!
This activity isn’t
considered strictly childish anymore.
Within the last decade, the
popularity of coloring books for adults has soared.
And there are so many of
them: different abstract objects, mandalas, Disney or Marvel characters,
and, of course, nature-themed
books.
In 2017, researchers at the
University of Otago discovered that people who spend at
least 10 minutes a day
coloring manage symptoms of depression and anxiety more effectively.
Apart from being a great
self-help tool to deal with stress, coloring is also a good
way to take a break from
electronic gadgets and connect with your inner artist.
So sharpen your pencils,
and get down to business!
What’s your best way to
deal with anxiety?
Share your experience with
others, and leave a comment below!
And don’t forget to give
this video a like, share it with your friends, and click subscribe
to always stay on the
Bright Side of life!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment