Washing Dishes Helps You Get Rid of Stress, Researchers Say

If washing dishes has always been a source of terrible unhappiness for you, then you should know that scientists discovered washing the dishes helps you get rid of stress. So cry no more and grab that sponge!

The study tried to discover if washing dishes helps people free their mind and reduce stress. This research is extremely useful, as many people nowadays get more and more affected by the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

One of the study’s authors, Adam Hanley, professor at Florida State University, claimed that he was very interested in the way everyday activities could help people feel better and offer them a positive attitude.

“We hypothesized that participants receiving mindful dishwashing instruction would evidence greater state mindfulness, attentional awareness, and positive affect,” researchers claimed.

The study was conducted with 51 students. They were given to clean 18 dishes and encouraged to concentrate more on the sensory aspect of the experience. Focusing entirely on this process by smelling the soap, feeling the water’s temperature and the dishes, the mindful participants noticed a decreased stress and felt a 20% increase in the excitement of the mind. At the opposite side, the control group didn’t notice any improvement. Before the experiment started, the groups were given to read the same dishwashing techniques passage.

However, mindfulness activities are regularly used as therapeutic methods for people suffering of emotional disorders.

The study, published in October in Mindfulness journal, concluded that mindfulness in mundane activities can bring people stress relief and a positive attitude. So, if you ever thought daily chores have no benefits apart from keeping your house clean and put the blame of them four your lacking time, then you should think twice, as they reduce stress and increase your inspiration, making you more productive.

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