Let's discuss the health benefits of a clean home.
I think we all can probably hear our parents, or at least mom saying,"clean your room!" The voice has stuck with us, but have we actually been consistent on staying true to those words for our own rooms and home?! It's so easy to put the cleaning on hold for a break or for fun. How important is a clean home for our own health though? Let's take a look at just a few of the many health benefits of a clean home.....
Health Benefit #1: A Clean Home Can Ease Seasonal Allergy Symptoms
The Willamette Valley has one of the highest outdoor allergy counts in the nation. Whether it is pollen, grass and molds, or indoor allergies like dust, dust mites and pet dander, keeping a clean home can greatly reduce your symptoms.
Regular vacuuming, paying attention to areas that are prone to mold growth and keeping airborne dust to a minimum can help reduce allergy symptoms. So proper ventilation in the bathrooms, cleaning them regularly, dusting regularly, changing bed sheets and cleaning window covering can all help in reducing allergens.
Health Benefit #2: A Clean, Clutter-free Space Can Improve Mental Health
When we start having multiple surfaces covered with clutter whether it be laundry, school papers, mail, bills, dishes, all covering who knows what else beneath it with spills, dust and pet hair...it becomes overwhelming. This can contribute to stress, anxiety and depression.
Once we start accumulating clutter, over time parts of our brain can shut off the mess and we become "clutter blind". Other parts of our brain can become overwhelmed. A study at Princeton University concluded that clutter can overwhelm the visual cortex, making it more difficult to process the task at hand. Other studies have shown that an uncluttered, clean space can help us focus better and feel calmer, less depressed and less anxious. Keeping our living spaces clutter free and clean can have a great impact on our overall mental health.
Health Benefit #3: Having A Clean Bedroom May Lead To Better Sleep
Doesn't it seem like with our go, go, go schedules we would hit our pillows and crash right out! This isn't the case though. A recent study by the National Sleep Foundation showed 45 percent of Americans experience poor sleep. Our minds are so full of our daily activities and stresses including the mess we may not be cleaning up in our bedrooms. Once again, we go back to the voice of mom, "Clean your room!" The National Sleep Foundation found that those with clean sheets and a clean room naturally slept better.
Health Benefit #4: Increased Productivity
A tidy home increases productivity. With more and more people working from home this is even more important. If you work in a clean and clutter-free room, it becomes easier to concentrate on the tasks at hand. If things are clean and well organized you aren't spending time searching for a form or item that is buried beneath other papers, or has been placed in a spot you did not intend for it to be. It's easier to focus and get work done when you have that tidy well organized space.
Health Benefit #5: Healthier Eating Habits
When I am stressed I find myself searching out that bag of chips! People with high stress levels are more likely to crave junk food. That is just how the body naturally reacts and responds. Stress can also result in an overall increased intake of food. As mentioned, a dirty, messy, untidy place increases stress resulting in less healthy eating choices. For example a clean kitchen will make it more likely to spend time in their making a healthy meal over just grabbing a bag of chips and running out.
Having a clean well kept home can have many benefits. These listed are just a few. Unfortunately it can be stressful just to find the time to clean, and I don't know of many who would call it fun! So it is easy to put it off or just have it cause more stress. That is where hiring a professional cleaner can be really beneficial. Not only are you getting a detailed, thorough clean which leads to a healthier home and life, but it frees up time to spend with friends and family taking away some stress as well!
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