Cleaning supports mental health: The Mrs Hinch effect
How does cleaning make you happy?
Text: Livvie B
Having shot to social media fame in 2018, “Mrs Hinch” quickly became known for sharing cleaning hacks and tricks on Instagram. The original ‘clean-fluencer’, Mrs Hinch famously caused manufacturers of Zaflora to double production after promoting the product on her channel. In 2019, Mrs Hinch penned her first book Hinch Yourself Happy, where she explored the impact of cleaning on mental health and shared how cleaning helped her to manage her anxiety and control panic attacks.
As Singapore once again sees social distancing restrictions being tightened and encourages people to stay at home, is cleaning the mental health tool that we all need to incorporate into our lives?
A 2019 study by Mr. Clean measured the Galvanic Skin Response and Heart Rate of 62 adults, concluding that changes to each whilst cleaning were driven by factors such as emotional enthusiasm and excitement.
Meanwhile, a Clorox survey found that those who enjoyed the act of cleaning were 25% happier than those who did not, and incorporating an extra hour of cleaning each week has the potential to increase happiness levels by 53%. Other benefits of regular cleaning included improved relaxation, heightened focus, better sleep, and increased productivity.
Whilst the act of cleaning itself can help with our mental health by keeping us moving and active, and giving a sense of accomplishing goals, the end result of living and working in an orderly space can help to promote healthier choices, feel less stressed and be more productive.
As we prepare to stay at home more over the coming month, now is the perfect time to take control of your space; from designing your bedroom to help you sleep better, to selecting art that will cheer you up, and adding a touch of spring to your space with fresh florals.
Get that elbow grease going and happy cleaning folks!
