How to Maintain Your Health by Maintaining Your Home
BY Karen Weeks of Elder Wellness
Cleaning can feel like such an effort, especially when you are dealing with other issues in your life. However, regular cleaning can actually have some very positive effects on your physical and mental health. Having a small advantage can be critical when you are dealing with high levels of stress, so make sure you take note of these important steps for keeping your home tidy, as well as keeping you and your family’s health in good shape.
Take Steps to Take Stress Out of Your Home
When you are working through issues with your family, you are already dealing with quite a bit of stress. This is why it is important to find ways to decrease stress in other areas of your life. Keeping your home clean and organized can actually be a simple way to reduce stress for you and your loved ones. Clutter has a funny way of adding to your stress, so maintaining a clean home can help. If you don’t have the time to spare for cleaning, you could hire a maid service. Just realize paying for this service can put a dent in your budget. Maid services usually charge $50 - $90 per hour, depending on the number of rooms you need cleaned and whether you’re using eco-friendly cleaning products.
You should also take care to create spaces for reflection inside your home. Adding a meditation room is a smart move for anyone and can bring an immeasurable amount of peace into your life. You can set up your meditation space in an area around your home where you can experience some peace and quiet. Add some calming features such as soft pillows and candles to inspire even more relaxation. Practicing meditation can provide many benefits for your family, such as improving cognition and reducing pain, especially during times of increased tension. So, creating a dedicated space is well worth the effort.
Help Your Family Breathe a Little Easier
Meditation is a positive first step in reducing stress inside your home and improving your family’s health. However, much of meditation is centered on breathing, and it can be even more helpful to make sure the air in your home is clean. For many families, the air they breathe inside their homes can be much more polluted than the air outside — even in big cities. This is because common household cleaners, furnishings, and products are filled with toxins that can cause issues for anyone sensitive to pollutants. Dust and allergens can compound the problem and cause even more stress for your family. So, take some time to clean and improve the air inside your home. There are many natural ways to purify your home’s air. Plants can be a wonderful addition to help clean your air, and they can add some natural beauty as well and don’t cost too much (many houseplants can be purchased for under $30). Plus, plants provide stress relief on their own. Just having a little bit of green in your home can help with anxiety and make you feel better overall.
Keep Allergens From Making You Feel Worse
Stress can already have so many negative impacts on your health. If you have allergies, stress can actually make your symptoms worse. One study showed that people with allergies who experienced increased levels of stress showed a marked increase in their allergy problems around the same time. You can help keep yourself from getting sick by taking steps to reduce allergens in your home. One major change you can make is getting rid of carpet and rugs around your home. Certain fabrics can cause dust, pollen, and dander to cling to surfaces around your house, and it can be nearly impossible to get rid of all of them. You should also stick to a regular cleaning schedule in order to keep yourself well. Be sure to take care of important cleaning steps, and have someone who is not allergic clean for the best results. Launder all of your bedding and linens in hot water and vacuum all floors to preserve your health.
By taking the time to keep your home clean, you are taking the time needed to bring some order to your life. So, whatever you are dealing with, try to set aside some time to organize your home, keep it free of toxins, and create spaces where you can relax after a stressful day.
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