Spring is coming. For many, now is the time to get the apartment in shape - this ritual affects your health.
Simplifying life by clearing out - that is not just what book authors preach. There is even a job profile that deals specifically with disorder: regulatory advice. The most prominent advisor in this area is probably Marie Kondō, whose books about correct mucking out fill countless bookshelves worldwide.
But what is it about the promise of finding inner peace through the right manure removal strategy ? Psychologist Michael Tompkins, deputy director of the Center for Cognitive Therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area, knows why you feel so good after cleaning up.
Spring cleaning is the least fun - but it creates feelings of exhilaration
Our moods can be enhanced by "pleasant activities and mastery activities", says Tompkins. The latter can be translated into mastery activities: they are generally not as fun as hobbies or relaxation breaks *, but they do lead to a sense of achievement. Making taxes or filing, making an unpleasant call or cleaning up: all of this is not fun, but when the tasks are done, there is exhilaration .
Tompkins sees a connection between a tidy household that is not cluttered with unnecessary possessions and the feeling of serenity, as CNN Health reported. After cleaning up, we become more relaxed because our environment is clearer, according to the author. We would process information differently because we have "less noise in the brain" visually. And if we donate or give items to other people who need and will use them, this kind of altruism " can have a really, really good effect on us psychologically ".
Read also : If you want to live long, you should do this one thing - it has nothing to do with sports and nutrition .
Restarting can extend life
And the positive effects of extensive spring cleaning can even have a good impact on our physical health. Spring cleaning not only stands for new cleanliness in your own home, it is also seen by many as the start of spring. And a fresh start can mean reducing stress, lightening the mood and providing you with new energy - which you can use to eat healthier *, do more sports or sleep more, according to CNN. These factors would favor a long, healthy life.
Read more : Does dust make you thick? Researchers find a frightening connection.
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* Merkur.de and fnp.de belong to the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editors network .