
Find your Feelgood Health
At AXA Health, we know that everyone’s journey to Feelgood Health is different. Discover more ways to boost your body and mind in a way that suits you on our hub.
It’s long been known that a spot of light housework can be great for physical health, but did you know that having a good declutter, both literally and metaphorically, is hugely beneficial for our mental health, too?
Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Messy homes and workspaces can leave us feeling anxious or helpless and can contribute to an increase in our stress levels.
Stress in modern society is often seen as “just part of life”. Everyone is busier: there are more things to do, more opportunities to connect with people, more...everything, which can make it hard to stay clutter-free.
But don’t fret, the declutter to destress challenge is here to help in tackling unnecessary stresses and to help you find your Feelgood...Finlay Haswell, AXA Health physiologist, explains:
Let’s talk stress
Stress isn’t always a bad thing, it’s a reaction that we possess for a purpose. When we are stressed, various parts of the brain begin to communicate and our body produces stress hormones, such as adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine that trigger the fight or flight response.
This response causes a range of responses, such as increased heart rate diverting blood to muscles (to make us run faster) and the shutting down of unnecessary bodily functions, such as digestion. In short, we need stress to react to dangerous situations.
The challenge is when our body goes into a state of stress in inappropriate situations. When blood flow is diverted to important muscles for a fight or flight response, our brain function is impacted. This leads to an inability to ‘think straight’, which can be a huge hinderance to our daily lives. If we are kept in a state of stress for long periods, it can be detrimental to our health. Elevated cortisol levels can increase both blood pressure and blood sugar, which can lead to increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Why is clutter bad for our health?
Excessive clutter is often a symptom and a cause of stress and can affect every aspect of your life: from the time it takes you to do things to your overall enjoyment of life. A study in Current Psychology(1) also found a link between procrastination and clutter. Those who put off doing unpleasant tasks, like paying bills, also put off the difficult work of decluttering their homes.
Clutter can distract you, weigh you down and in general it invites chaos into your life. As Christina Scalise, author and professional organiser, would say: “Clutter is like a physical representation of a to-do list”. This to-do list can sometimes be overwhelming but using our guide you too can be clutter-free and feeling good.