Although perceived as a mundane chore, apart from maintaining cleanliness there are surprising mental health benefits of vacuuming regularly. Do you know that vacuuming regularly for 30 minutes exhausts 100-150 calories boosting your cardiovascular health and lifting your mood through the release of endorphins so that you feel relaxed and happy?
Modern homeowners and cleaning enthusiasts have admitted that vacuuming bestows a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, promoting confidence coupled with self-esteem. American Cleaning Institute in one of their surveys declared that 72% of respondents earned a sense of mastery and competence after cleaning their dirty and cluttered living rooms or commercial spaces.
The rhythm and movement of vacuuming empower individuals to reach a state of flow, where they experience a sense of calm and clarity. This article delves into the mental-health benefits of vacuuming, supported by statistics and fundamental reasons to shed light on its positive impact on our daily mental health and mood swings.
Table of Contents
The Psychological Benefits of a Clean Home-Finding Calm Through Cleaning
The Princeton University Neuroscience Institute in 2011 in one of their studies put forward the consequences of living in organized vs cluttered spaces and concluded that the presence of multiple visual stimuli like to say for example a sink full of dishes, shoes on the staircase, wrinkled clothes in the dryer stresses the human brain and thus it looses its power to focus and process information causing anxiety and distress.
In the modern stressful life, building habits of vacuuming regularly stimulates the secretion of a crucial neurotransmitter called endorphins, which in turn makes you feel relaxed and happy. When you practice mindful vacuuming — you witness an immediate transformation from dirty to clean carpet or floor in minutes that uplifts your mood and instills a sense of satisfaction.
Harvard University has pointed out that mindful cleaning considerably boosts cognitive functioning and assists in emotional regulation. A clean and clutter-free living room or commercial space paves the pathway to improved mental health outcomes, making you feel less anxious and depressed. Apart from babies and infants, for some adults also the monotonous hum of a vacuum cleaner serves the purpose of white noise, soothing the mind and offering the benefits of meditative practice as you move through your living room or small commercial space.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin has suggested that cleanliness considerably controls mood and behavior and thus a clutter-free and orderly living space gives birth to a positive atmosphere promoting peace of mind. In addition to its practical purpose, regular vacuuming instills a plethora of mental health benefits, including mindfulness practice, stress reduction, physical exercise, a sense of accomplishment, and environmental influence.
If you practice mindful vacuum cleaning sessions by following the sounds, the sensation of your movements, and the patterns you make on various surfaces of your cozy living room you can transform it into a restorative and meditative activity. Also to link your regular vacuuming sessions with feelings of pleasure you can make yourself happy with a reward after every cleaning session.
By selecting an efficient vacuum cleaner that is compatible with your cleaning regime and goals and following a customized cleaning routine you will not just be decluttering and sanitizing your living space but also you will nurture your mental space. You will be powerful enough to declutter your soul and mind of negative thoughts if you mindfully keep your living room clean and tidy daily and thus the act of cleaning can take the form of a therapeutic ritual, being a powerful aid for your mental health.
Mental Health Benefits of Vacuuming: How Vacuuming Promotes Mental Well-being
The American Cleaning Institute in one of their surveys has reported that 91% of people felt relaxed and calm after they witnessed their living room cleaned hinting towards the fact that vacuuming boosts mental health by sucking up and retaining allergens, embedded dirt, dust, grime, and clutter, gifting modern homeowners a cleaner and more serene living space.
The Journal of Environmental Psychology in one of their studies reported that participants who clean their living room regularly, by vacuuming, developed much lower levels of anxiety and psychological distress compared to those who stayed in a dirty and cluttered atmosphere. In addition to this, persons suffering from anxiety disorders experienced a significant reduction in symptoms after participating in vacuuming sessions in a cleaning intervention since the repetitive motion involved in vacuuming significantly reduces stress.
Regular physical activities at a fixed time trigger the release of natural stress relievers called endorphins making humans feel energized and calm.
Mental Health Benefits of Vacuuming: How Vacuuming Can Improve Your Mood
The University of California has reported that individuals who engaged in regular cleaning activities, including vacuuming, experienced good mood coupled with feelings of satisfaction whenever they were in their cozy living space. Also, persons suffering from depression and anxiety were reported to gain relief from mental tension and anxiety after participating in vacuuming sessions that were part of a cleaning intervention.
It has also been seen that homeowners who religiously conduct vacuuming sessions regularly have achieved a sense of accomplishment and control over their minds that in turn increases self-esteem and inspires them to have a more positive outlook on life.
Mental Health Benefits of Vacuuming: The Connection Between Vacuuming and Mental Health
A study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology brought the fact to light that individuals living in clean and organized homes reported lower degrees of anxiety coupled with higher degrees of life satisfaction compared to those living in dirty, messed, and cluttered living rooms. Thus, vacuuming, crucial to maintaining home cleanliness contributes to making you feel better and happier in your home environment.
When you are conducting vacuuming sessions, you are not only removing physical debris but also eliminating mental clutter, letting your mind and soul achieve calm and control. Regular vacuuming apart from keeping your home tidy and clean also takes care of your mental health and psychological well-being so that you can feel positive emotions throughout the day and stay happy mostly.
Mental Health Benefits of Vacuuming-Conclusion
Modern homeowners and cleaning enthusiasts have admitted that when they religiously conduct vacuuming sessions they earn a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, which in turn promotes and boosts their confidence coupled with self-esteem so that they can feel positive emotions throughout the day and stay happy mostly.
Persons suffering from depression and anxiety were reported to gain relief from mental tension and anxiety after participating in vacuuming sessions in their living room compared to the times when they used to sit idle. In addition to this, regular physical activities like vacuuming at a fixed time trigger the release of natural stress relievers called endorphins making humans feel energized and calm. If you practice mindful vacuum cleaning sessions in your cozy living room you can transform it into a restorative and meditative activity.
FAQs
Is it okay to vacuum every day?
Yes, you can vacuum your rooms every day, especially don’t forget to vacuum those areas of your home that receive high traffic like the hall, kitchen, and living room but consider flooring types before vacuuming daily.
What is the psychology behind cleaning?
When you maintain a clean, sanitized, and clutter-free living room you achieve a sense of control and self-esteem, as reported by research published in Current Psychology. Cleaner living rooms and bedrooms discourage the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol, contributing to improved psychological and physical well-being.
Why vacuuming is the strongest form of self-care?
In addition to its practical purpose, regular vacuuming instills a plethora of mental health benefits, including mindfulness practice, stress reduction, physical exercise, a sense of accomplishment, and environmental influence.
Can vacuuming be exercise?
Harvard University in one of their studies reported that 30 minutes of mindful vacuuming session eliminates 119 calories approx. from the body of a 150-pound person when compared to lightweight exercises like walking or yoga.
For the past five years, I’ve been engaged as an SEO content writer, specializing in crafting engaging blog posts. My focus lies in meticulously exploring and evaluating household cleaning appliances, particularly those integrated with cutting-edge and emerging technologies.