Organizing for Your Health

Apart from the obvious safety issues that clutter causes, there is another health issue that’s affected by clutter too. Sleep deprivation.

A number of studies have been done on obesity connected to poor sleep quality. While this may seem an odd pairing, the researchers have determined that with sleep debt also comes snacking during the night.

How is this connected to clutter? A cluttered bedroom can subconsciously create anxiety that contributes to sleeping difficulties. Just knowing the room is disorganized can prey on our minds whether we’re aware of this or not.

The researchers have discovered that increased levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, and causes weight gain. Other sources report that clutter does the same.

Lack of proper sleep results in lack of energy, which in turn affects decision-making and lessens willpower. The inability to make decisions about our surroundings can lead to clutter because when we’re tired, it’s just too much to think about keeping our environment in order. And it’s a logical step to consume extra food to attempt to build some energy to deal with the clutter.

Exercise becomes more difficult due to lack of energy, sleep doesn’t come easily, our surroundings become more cluttered, and the cycle continues.

What to do about all this?

1. Begin to exercise, even if for only 20 minutes daily.
2. Take another 20 minutes to clear the clutter. Just deal with one area of your bedroom at a time then continue the next day. Eventually it will be organized.
3. Make an effort to sleep for seven hours every night. If you can’t, don’t snack. Drink a glass of water instead to dispel those hunger feelings.
4. Work on clearing your mind of the clutter in your bedroom that may create anxiety. The more serene you can become, the better you will sleep.

Once you’ve made progress at eliminating both the physical and mind clutter, your health will undoubtedly improve. And won’t that help you feel better and in charge of your life?