Spring Cleaning your Brain: How spring cleaning can help your mental and physical health

Spring cleaning doesn’t just have to happen in spring. A declutter is always good to do, no matter the time of year. However, for many of us, the renewal of spring signals that it’s time to get into cleaning mode. Not only is it good for the aesthetic in your home, but also your mental and physical health, according to experts.

Need some extra motivation to break out the rubber gloves and get to work this month? Why not listen to music as your clean. Music has the power to improve your mood and productivity, making the mundane task of cleaning easier and less daunting. It is said that music can influence your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, so it’s a great complement to spring cleaning.

Here are seven ways that spring cleaning can benefit not just your home, but your physical and mental health.

Dust, mould, mildew, pet dander and even bugs can all build up over time, and cluttered homes tend to gather a lot of these pollutants all year round but particularly during the winter months, when we spend more time indoors. Inhaling allergens around the house can weaken your immune system, impact your respiratory health, and trigger asthma, allergies or other breathing problems. A deep clean of the space you spend most of your time in not only improves air quality but keeps your immune system strong. 

Experts say a disorganised and messy house can negatively affect mental health, leading to stress, anxiety and depression. If you’re feeling low or demotivated, a deep dive into junk drawers and the purging of wardrobes may be exactly what you need to boost your mood and reduce your anxiety, you might even find something you thought you lost which always boots your mood. Another clean house benefit is that the physical act of cleaning allows you to turn your brain off and relax, allowing you to feel more at ease and less stressed.

While it may not burn as many calories as going to the gym, organising the house keeps your body moving. If you’re struggling to get off the couch and out of winter hibernation mode, this might be the extra push you need to get moving. Mopping, scrubbing and hoovering can get those endorphins pumping. Plus, physical activity can lower the risk of developing many chronic illnesses including heart disease. So why not do some spring cleaning for your brain while working out at the same time.

Anyone who’s heard of tidying guru Marie Kondo will know her catchphrase "spark joy" - if something doesn’t spark joy, it has to go. When your home is cluttered or messy, it can make it harder to focus. Decluttering your physical space can also help to remove your “mental clutter” and feel like spring cleaning your brain. Limiting the number of possessions you own can have the same impact because it reduces the number of things competing for your brain's attention, allowing you to have better concentration without so much swirling around in your brain. Discarding unused items can feel like a weight lifted off your shoulders and have a powerful healing effect on your wellbeing.

Organising your possessions, moving furniture, and cleaning the entire house can help create positive feelings of accomplishment and is another benefit of spring cleaning. Spending time decluttering and organising your space gives you a sense of mastery and control over your environment, which in turn boosts your mood.

Get ready for the best sleep you’ve ever had once you begin spring cleaning your surroundings. Better sleep is one of the benefits of spring cleaning. Seeing mess or clutter while you are in bed can cause stress, leading to struggles falling to sleep. Studies say that ‘people at risk of hoarding disorder may have serious complaints about sleep’, proving that a restful space can create a restful mind. By clearing out this clutter it will clear your mind and transform your space into a more calming environment where you will begin to sleep soundly.

If you’re struggling to get your financial life in order, can’t find bills, have misplaced important receipts, then a spring clean is needed. This will help put everything back in its individual place, but also free your mind of the stress of unknown financials. Another clean house benefit is that you may find paperwork that remind you of subscriptions you no longer want but are still paying for that you can then cancel and save money, or you might find duplicate items that you can sell on.  

It's important to always look after your mental and physical health. Remember to keep yourself covered whether you are here or abroad with our internation health insurance plans for you and your family. Stay protected with Allianz.