How Clutter Can Affect Your Mental Health

Yes, we know, you'll clean up the mess in your room in a second. As you've been doing all this time, right? Don't worry; we're not here to judge. We solemnly swear - we've all been guilty of leaving clutter in our living spaces for a long time, at least once. Sometimes, just the pace of life gets too quick to keep up, and something has to suffer (like the aesthetics of your living room). But did you know that clutter can affect your mental health? It may seem harmless at first glance, but there are some adverse effects you should be aware of.

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today

People wiser than us said this, and we can't agree more. Procrastination is a vicious circle you don't want to get in. When you put off cleaning, you'll put off studying, for example. Once you find yourself on that train, it's hard to get off. According to research, individuals who live in untidy houses are more likely to put off doing crucial activities. It's possible that to pay the bills, you'll have to search through mountains of paperwork. Or, you'll have so many stacked-up piles of filthy clothing that doing the washing will seem like an insurmountable task.

You'll be less productive

If you're not a fan of cleaning and decluttering - it's understandable. But, you might want to change that point of view. If we take a closer look at the bare cells of your endocranium, we'll see that they're all put together in a way that allows you to do multiple things at once. Without that kind of architecture, you wouldn't be able to listen to the radio while you drive, for example. But that ability is not without its limits.

Take care of your working capacity

There is a limited amount of things your brain can process at once. That is a protective mechanism to avoid overstimulation with all the triggers in your surroundings. But, if you keep clutter in your sight, you're distracting your brain with unimportant stimuli that take over its working capacity. That's why it will take you more to accomplish a simple task that wouldn't be a problem if you were in a clean and decluttered space.

It will stress you out

Even though you might be able to convince yourself on a conscious level that it doesn't bother you, clutter will bug your unconscious self until you make a fair attempt to solve it. Too many stimuli in the space supposed to be relaxing and comforting will increase your cortisol levels through the roof. This vital but sneaky hormone will make you feel that silent anxiety daily, even when you're far away from home. You won't feel like coming back only to find a cluttered environment. And even after decluttering, there might still be that bitter taste of cortisol that will make you fill on alert.

The good thing is that you can do something about it. The answer is meditation. It can help in many situations, including dealing with emotions after rehab. You might not know it, but meditation is a great way of controlling this problem and many other anxiety-inducing situations. Calm and peace you can achieve, and complete unity with yourself can help you regain total control of your emotions in difficult times. This can be life-saving in unique situations, such as returning from rehab and starting your life over.

Clutter can affect your mental health on a memory level

Have you noticed how you forget your keys more easily in a messy kitchen? When the clutter is outside you, it's in your brain simultaneously. The brain is the most sensitive receptive thing in your body. If you get too much junk in it, you won't have the space to receive new, important information. And that received is the start of the mechanism and cascade of analyzing, storing, and reproducing crucial stimuli. In other words, your memory will be fairly compromised by the cluttered space you live in. 

It can be harder to turn a new leaf

Have you heard an inspirational speech by a US Navy Amiral, Wiliam McRaven, when he said: ''If you want to change the world, start by making your bed?" This is a mantra to live by if you want to do something good about your habit of leaving clutter all around. It's crucial if you're going through a significant change in your life and you need to take a step further in the right direction. Cluttering is an addiction in a way. So, take three golden pieces of advice from experts in addiction treatment and recovery at Bright Futures Treatment Center Florida and:

1. start decluttering little by little

2. don't beat yourself up

3. star decluttering now

The sense of achievement is important

It may seem simple, but small victories win the war. When you do something nice and turn a new leaf into such a simple habit as cleaning and decluttering, you'll feel a sense of achievement that will help you battle more serious issues and demons. So, making a safe and organized environment can help you in the process.

Final thoughts

A simple everyday task like decluttering does not get enough attention in our efforts to improve our mental health. Getting junk out of your living space can influence the overall clarity of your mind. It doesn't have to be a task worthy of being called a spring cleaning. Taking baby steps will be just fine. It will do the trick and help you keep repeating it until you make it a good habit. Now that you know that clutter can affect your mental health, we hope you'll consider making a few steps toward becoming regular in cleaning and decluttering. Keep it up; we're rooting for you!

5 Tips To Live a Healthy life

Ways To Live a Healthier, Happier Life

Some might think that all we need to do to live a happy and healthy life is drop a few pounds or hit the gym. While those are essential steps in living a healthier, more comfortable lifestyle, the best thing we can do for ourselves is learn about our habits and make changes. Here are tips for improving our health against conditions such as Fibromyalgia. This tips hopefully will help you also increase your happiness.

Spend more time in nature

One way to live a healthier, happier life is to spend more time in nature.

Studies have shown that spending time in nature benefits our mental and physical health. It can improve our mood and reduce stress levels. It also has positive effects on our sleep habits and our overall mood.

Spending time in nature also has physical benefits. For example, it can help us lose weight and improve cardiovascular health.

There are many ways to enjoy nature, whether we spend time outdoors hiking or exploring a botanical garden. The major is finding something that appeals to us and making time for it daily.

Drink water

It's easy to forget that liquids are essential for our health. But, as we probably know, water is crucial for everything from keeping our bodies hydrated to helping us absorb nutrients.

Drink at least eight glasses of water a day to stay healthy. Not only will this help to keep our body functioning correctly, but it'll also help reduce our risk of developing diseases. To ensure we get the most out of our water intake, we try to drink it from different sources. Try drinking filtered or distilled water if we can because these types of waters have been through a process that removes pollutants and other harmful materials.

Another way to improve our health is by eating high water content foods. Foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are all high in water content and are excellent sources of nutrients if we're trying to live a healthier life, including plenty of water-rich foods in our diet.

Exercise regularly and well.

One of the best ways to live a healthier, happier life is to exercise regularly. Exercise can help us lose weight, improve our mood, and reduce our risk of health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

The key to exercising effectively is to do it consistently. Exercising for 30 minutes daily is better than logging in just five or ten minutes at a time. And don't forget about stretching! Stretching not only feels better but can also help us avoid injuries.

If we're finding it challenging to stick to a regular exercise routine, there are plenty of ways to make it easier. We can try working out with a friend or partner, setting a goal for ourselves, or using an app to track our progress. The key is to look for something that works for us and makes exercising enjoyable.

Natural detoxes and juices

Detoxes and juices are a great way to improve overall health and happiness.

Natural detoxes and juices are one of the best ways to detox our bodies. These methods help to clean out our system and restore balance. They also provide essential nutrients and antioxidants, which can help protect our body against disease.

Some of the best detoxes and juices for improving health and happiness include detox tea, green juice, ginger juice, and cucumber juice. They all offer unique benefits that help us feel physically and mentally better.

Limit sugar and processed foods

One of the best ways to live a healthier, happier life is to limit our intake of sugar and processed foods.

Sugar is a common source of calories and empty calories. It can be addictive, so it can be hard to stop eating it once we've started. Processed foods are also high in fat and calories, as well as salt and preservatives. These foods are often difficult to digest and can lead to weight gain and other health problems.

Instead of using sugar or processed foods as our primary energy source, try to get our energy from more natural sources. Examples include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. If we do decide to consume sugar or processed foods, make sure they are in moderation and that we focus on healthy options instead of unhealthy ones.

Eat a Balanced Diet

One of the most critical things we can do to live a healthy life is to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet includes all the necessary nutrients and vitamins our body needs.

Some of the best foods to eat on a balanced diet are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and a Vegetarian keto diet. To ensure we get the right amount of nutrients, we track our food intake using a tracker like MyFitnessPal. We can also consult with a doctor or registered dietitian to get advice on what types of foods are best for our health.

If we struggle with weight loss, we must remember that calories are not everything in diets. It would help if we also focused on eating more fiber and potassium. Fiber helps reduce inflammation, while potassium helps control blood pressure and blood sugar levels. A healthy diet can better our overall health and help us live longer.

Health Benefits of a Well Organized Home

Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear that more and more people are affected by stress, anxiety, depression, phobia, etc. Although factors such as school, work, and relationships are the main triggers for these mental health problems, our homes can be the ones pulling the strings too. Namely, we spend almost 2/3 of our days inside, and if the inside of our home is chaotic, well, the chances are that our minds will be too. Moreover, unorganized homes are often unclean, so they present a health hazard for everyone living in them. So, if you want to preserve your physical and mental health, you know what to do - clean and organize! However, we understand that you need to be persuaded a bit more. And that is why we are here. Thus, today we will share with you some health benefits of a well organized home that will make you start your vacuum instantly.

Not Living in a Hazardous Home

Okay, one of the most significant health benefits of living in a well organized home is its cleanliness and organization. When homes are too messy and cluttered, the dirt inside your home is living its best life. However, dirt is not the biggest problem. The problem appears when that dirt turns into mold, bacteria, fungi, and who knows what else. Moreover, dirt can also turn into urban pests that will soon ruin your home and your health!

Mold, bacteria, and fungi can cause many health problems not only to you but also to your family members, especially children, and pets. You may all get an infection, develop asthma, prompt allergies, or increase your chance of getting some severe illness. The same applies to pests - you don't need us to tell you how dangerous they can be! Thus, don't put yourself into these troubles - clean and organize your home!

Being Less Stressed

Maybe one of the biggest health benefits of a well organized home is stress relief. Just think about it - how many times were you unable to relax because of that endless list of chores? How many times have you sat down to drink your first cup of coffee in the morning but couldn't because you were surrounded by one big hot mess? The answer to both of these questions is probably ONE TOO MANY TIMES!

This is because you can't organize yourself properly so that you can organize your home. And that causes you stress! When you finally learn how to manage your day, your head, and ultimately, your home, you will feel like an enormous weight has been lifted off your chest!

To get rid of stress from an unorganized home, you have to start with baby steps. Trying to maintain your whole home from top to bottom right from the start will be a mission impossible. Thus, start small. Organize your bedroom first. Then, move on to the area you spend most of your time in. Once these areas are clean, trust us, waking up and drinking that first cup of coffee in the morning will be a stress-free delight. 

Sleeping Better

According to recent research, people who sleep in cluttered and dirty rooms lose a lot of sleep at night. Some people don't want to go to bed until their entire space is well organized, and they stay late. Others can't seem to find peace in all that clutter and dirt. But, all those people wake up in the morning, leave their rooms as they are, and face the same problem at night. This is why you have to learn how to be organized. 

Again, being organized is not something that you can learn overnight. However, a thing that would help you with that is to remove all the excess stuff from your room. Remember - the fewer things you have, the easier it will be to keep your home organized. 

So, for instance, if you recently moved in, put everything in its place and get rid of all the packing material - of course, don't throw it away but find a way to reuse it. Then, take a look at your room. If you have a lot of stuff that is still cluttering your space, take the packing materials, pack up what you don't need, and place it in storage (or donate it, or even sell it). Leave only the things that you need, and organizing your home will be a breeze.

Leading a More Productive Life

In the last couple of years, we all spent most of our time inside (because of the corona-virus situation). We were forced to study from home, work from home, and even have fun from home. People who had organizational problems found this rather difficult. Why? Because it was almost impossible to study and finish all the work in all that mess. It is no secret - clutter, mess, dirt, and all other distractions at home keep us from getting the job done. This, in return, leads to stress. And, of course, stress leads to health problems. 

So, once again, try to minimize clutter-related distractions. Declutter your home and try to keep it as clean as possible. Once you do this, you will see how studying, working, and doing pretty much anything else in your home is going to be easier. And, you will see how less stressed you are because you can do anything without distractions. 

Leading a Healthier Lifestyle 

Yes, one of the most significant health benefits of a healthy home is the ability to lead a healthy lifestyle. You may find this strange but just think of those times you couldn't work out because your gym equipment was who knows where and your workout clothes were in the hamper. And, think of the times you were unable to eat healthily just because your fridge and kitchen were all over the place. 

We understand - having to clean and organize your home first so that you can eat healthily and work out (or do pretty much anything) makes us want to skip everything. But, we mustn't! Doing this can make us lazy and, ultimately, unhealthy. This is why we have to keep our homes organized - sometimes, that is the only thing that can motivate us to stay healthy. 

As you have seen, there are many health benefits of a well organized home. They are a must if we want to preserve our mental and physical health! Thus, don't wait for your home to clean and organize itself. You must be the one to do it if you want to live a more productive and stress-free life. 

Healthy Family: How to Maintain Healthy Habits at Home

Sometimes it can be overwhelming and almost impossible to maintain healthy habits past the first few weeks. We all start with good intentions but in the time it takes to actually build a habit a lot of us will have stopped for one reason or another. This just makes it even more important for us to learn how to maintain these healthy habits, so below are some healthy habits and suggestions of how to keep them going.

Taking Vitamins

So we’ve all said at some point that we want to eat healthier. It could have been for any number of reasons; health, feeling better about your appearance, or simply wanting a change, but whatever the reason, it is one of the most popular healthy habits people want to maintain. Yet something always gets in the way. As an addition to your healthy diet (and to make you feel better if you do fall off the bandwagon occasionally), you can also try taking vitamins. These glucose gummies help to keep you healthy and have a lot of nutritional benefits. So if you are struggling with maintaining a healthy diet, you could always try adding these in.

Regular Exercise

Another very common goal that we set ourselves when trying to create healthy habits is to do more exercise. It is very easy after a hard day or week of work to want to do nothing, but it is important to remember that for a healthy lifestyle you need to be active. There are so many things that you can do to encourage your family to be active instead of sitting around in front of a screen. You could all go out on a walk or a bike ride if you are wanting something simple, but if you are wanting to do something slightly different you could look into what activities they have available in your area. Also, you can turn that bike ride into something even more interesting by switching from a traditional bike to a motorized bike so you can see biking as a different and a better experience.

Set a Sleep Schedule

One healthy habit that you can create and maintain at home is to go to bed and wake up at the same time. Getting the right amount of sleep is so important for both your mental and physical health. If you don’t get enough you will become irritable, suffer lower moods and it will begin to affect you physically as well if it continues. The best way to do this is to set up a sleep schedule so that your body knows that that is when you should be sleeping, as well as having a suitable area set up with little outside light and noise.

Remain Positive

Positivity is a large part of keeping us motivated, especially when we are looking to improve ourselves or create new habits. There will be days when it can seem hopeless and like we are fighting a losing battle, but that isn’t the case. Keeping a positive mentality and telling yourself that it is possible to do what you are trying to achieve, it will be easier to keep pushing, while thinking about failure is likely to make it become a possibility. Have you ever heard the phrase “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re probably right.” - Henry Ford. This is usually easier if you are setting up a healthy habit with someone else, because when you are feeling low they will be able to lift you up and encourage you.

Set Up a Reward System

One of the best ways to motivate yourself is to reward yourself when you do the right thing. Most people use sweet treats as a reward, but there are different options that you could use. Maybe save up a little bit and reward yourself and your family with a special day out or holiday somewhere that you have been wanting to go to for a long time. Other rewards could be smaller like giving yourself an extra bit of free time where you can choose what you do instead of ticking another thing off your to-do list.

Final Words

It can be difficult to maintain healthy habits at home particularly when we lead such busy lives, but there are always ways that you can make this slightly easier, for example, the use of vitamins to help with a healthy diet or setting up a reward system to keep you motivated.