6 Household Chores with Mental and Physical Benefits

A recent study about physical activity, which involved people from 17 countries drew up the conclusion that performing household chores (doing chores around the house) provides the same benefits as working out and running, particularly when it comes to extending your life and lowering the risk of many heart diseases.

It is a solid and well-documented theory that the aerobic and physical nature of various household chores provides numerous benefits to your being. More than that, such chores provide various mental health benefits as well, which people might be unaware of.

According to a small study, it has been proven that doing routine chores around the house helps to keep a person’s mind sharp. This study, instead of looking at the formal exercises performed by the people involved, analyzed their everyday activities.

The researchers measured the expenditure of ‘activity’ energy and came to the conclusion that people who walked, looked after their loved ones, climbed the stairs, and did chores around the house had a decreased chance of becoming a victim of cognitive impairment as compared to those that spent a minimal amount of energy throughout the day.

All the Amazing Health Benefits!

Different household chores offer different mental and physical benefits. The question is, are they really effective?

It is a well-known fact that exercise is excellent for a person’s physical as well as mental health. Thus, when you follow your domestic schedule closely, you can get a good psychological boost.

While doing household chores on a daily basis you feel less overwhelmed and less stressed.

Listed below are some of the everyday household chores and the benefits that we can reap from them:

1. Don’t Ignore Your Bed

Many studies have concluded that people who make their bed every morning start their day feeling quite productive and with a much better sense of their well-being. According to such studies, a majority of people, after making their bed, feel as if they have accomplished something which means that they have more motivation to complete the tasks that they have throughout their day.

On the other hand, having a messy bead can lead you to be stressed right from the time you wake up. Not only is making your bed linked to more productivity, people that make their bed have been reported to have slept better than individuals that leave their bed messy.

2. Scrub and Rinse!

It has been found that cleaning your plate mindfully is helpful when it comes to lowering your level of nervousness by up to 30%. While doing the dishes, focus on the movement of your hands if you can. Some studies have reported allowing your mind to wander can help with lowering stress levels. However, be careful you don’t do that when cleaning easily breakable dishes. Also, washing the dishes is also a good time for practicing breathing and calming exercises.

3. Fall into Formation

It might sound a bit unbelievable, but decluttering the kitchen does help to keep your overall weight in check. According to a recent study, people that lived in a cluttered house had a 77% more chance of being obese or overweight.

When your kitchen is an absolute mess, making healthy eating choices can become difficult. You might decide to eat out or opt for takeout because all of the dishes are dirty.

There might be bags of chips and biscuits on the counter, etc. So, when you get rid of the junk food it helps a lot because such edibles won’t be in front of you to immediately grab and eat.

4. Vacuum the House Down

Vacuuming provides the same benefits that 15 minutes of kickboxing does. Instead of vacuuming rooms separately, try vacuuming the entire house in one go. This activity helps to give your legs, core, and arms, a nice workout.

5. The Goodness of a Lemon Scented Cleaner

A 2014 Japanese study claims that a citrusy scent has the power to boost your mood significantly. For the study, participants were made to inhale a citrusy scent for about ten minutes. The outcome of it was that people experienced less anger, fatigue, confusion, depression, anxiety, tension, and mood disturbances as well. So, opt for lemon scented cleaning products for your chores.

6. That Grassy Aroma

According to a Swedish study involving 3,800 older adults, people that did the majority of yard work, do-it-yourself projects, and housecleaning, were at a 30% lower risk of experiencing a first-time cardiovascular disease such as a stroke or heart attack as compared to those that were highly sedentary.

Moreover, mowing your yard or lawn has benefits as well as the grassy scent stimulates the mind. Australian researchers found that freshly cut grass releases certain chemicals which makes the people more joyful and relaxed.

Can the Elderly Participate too?

While youngsters can definitely benefit from doing household chores, the elderly can too.

A researcher from the Chase Western Reserve University conducted a study and found that seniors who actively took part in household chores were more active and of sound mind.

Apart from getting a good amount of physical exercise from these tasks, it was also found that seniors experienced accomplishment and a sense of purpose, thus benefiting both their physical, as well as mental health.

Here are a few household activities that the seniors in your house can try out:

1. Let’s Wash The Car

If there is a car present in your house ask the senior to wash it. Dragging the hose, soaping the vehicle, rinsing the suds, cleaning the car windows, and scrubbing the tires is a great way to have fun while also getting a little physical exercise. Just make sure they don’t slip.

2. Doing the Laundry

Changing the sheets, carrying the wet towels, collecting dirty clothes, and using the dryer and washer is sufficient physical work. Moreover, if the senior likes hanging the laundry on a clothing line, the amount of physical activity they get further increases. Seniors can continue with such physical exercise by folding the laundry and putting it away as well.

Wrapping It Up

Research following 130,000 people of different income levels from the years 2003 to 2010 found that the participants got the same benefits whether they were doing household chores, walking, or hitting the gym. Thus, solidifying the theory that being physically active for half an hour, five times a week can lower the risk of death due to various reasons by 28%.

Similarly, the rate of participants becoming a victim of heart disease is also decreased by 20% because of exercise.

Coming home to a number of tasks that need to be done along with a long list of other things you need to do, there is a drastic decline in the hormone cortisol throughout the day. As a result, the person experiences a negative impact on the mood, health, and sleep.

Taking out time to sort the big pile of laundry, clearing your space, and organizing the stack of papers will clear stuff from your residence and will also help you to feel more relaxed and happier.

Furthermore, researchers state that sitting a lot is harmful to your physical and cognitive health. So, the more you take part in physical activity and movement, the more active and alert the brain will be.

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Arslan Butt currently works for https://www.CanadianPharmacyWorld.com, has a passion for keeping up-to-date regarding the latest health and lifestyle trends. He likes going on long walks, trying out new healthy eating regimes, and working out.