Can cleaning your house reduce the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder?
The days are getting shorter and the sun is shining less brightly. With the arrival of autumn, approximately 10% of Americans will experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that occurs with the changing seasons. To combat it, medical experts have recommended light therapy, medication, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for years. This year, they're adding another solution: cleaning the house.
In *Life at Home in the Twenty-First Century: 32 Families Open Their Doors*, by Jeanne E. Arnold and Anthony P. Graesch, originally published in 2014 but reissued following renewed interest, the authors discovered a connection between excessive clutter and high cortisol levels. “It’s hard to find time to sort, organize, and manage these possessions,” Graesch stated in a 2021 interview. “So our excess becomes a visible sign of unfinished work that constantly challenges our ingrained notions of tidy homes and generates considerable stress.” Put more simply, “The stress of the material world can affect anyone.”
At ProblemSolved-Cleaning Solutions Miami, our team has put together a guide on how cleaning your house this fall, even for just a few minutes, can reduce the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
It will provide a sense of control.
You may not be able to control the seasons, but you can control the little things, like the appearance of your home. As clinical psychologist Dawn Potter, PsyD, explained in a 2021 interview with the Cleveland Clinic, cleaning your home regularly helps people "know where everything is." There's also a sense of peace that comes from having an aesthetically pleasing place to wake up to and return to at the end of the workday—or, if you work from home, of course, simply to make your workday feel smooth, organized, and in order.
It will improve the aroma of your home, which can increase your serotonin levels.
Think of it as aromatherapy, which is often used to treat depression and anxiety. According to Science Direct, “Citrus aurantium has stimulating effects on the central nervous system and contains linalool and limonene, which have sedative properties and relieve symptoms of anxiety.” As Psychology Today promotes, scents like pine, lavender, and frankincense also have healing properties.
It will reduce your cortisol levels.
Living surrounded by clutter can negatively affect your mood. An article in Very Well Mind states that a messy environment can increase stress, confusion, and irritability. A cluttered home can also affect the visual cortex, making it difficult to concentrate and efficiently complete projects.
The cleaner your house is, the better you will feel.
This autumn, enjoy your home. We'll take care of the cleaning.
The new season is the perfect time to give your space a makeover.
At ProblemSolved-Cleaning Solutions we take care of every detail so you can enjoy a clean, fresh home ready for the season, without wasting your time cleaning.
In addition to residential cleaning, we offer professional services for offices, boats, and holiday rental properties, always with personalized attention and the care that distinguishes our work.
New season. Fresh space.
Schedule your first cleaning through our website or WhatsApp
and receive a 10% discount.