After a stressful day, engaging in mindful dishwashing can boost psychological well-being, according to a new study.
The researchers from Florida State University enrolled 51 college students to find out if washing dishes could improve emotional well-being. They divided the participants into two groups and asked them to wash the dishes.
The study subjects in one group engaged in mindful dishwashing, which involves focusing on the smell of soap, feel the dishes and sensing the temperature of the water. They were assigned to read a passage on mindful dishwashing before performing the activity. The rest of the participants washed the dishes in a more traditional way.
The study revealed that the students who were engaged in minful dishwashing experienced a 27 percent reduction in nervousness and a 25 percent increase in mental inspiration. On the other hand, those who did not wash the dishes mindfully though, did not gain any benefit from the most common household chore.
These findings suggest that a mundane chore like dishwashing could boost psychological well-being and it also reduce feeling of stress if one is mentally indulged in the task. The scientists plan to measure whether other household tasks, such as sweeping and garden tending, could have a similar impact.
The study size was small but it proved that certain tasks can help reduce the level of stress. If left untreated, stress can lead to a wide range of health issues such as hypertension, weight gain, heart disease and diabetes. Stress alone contributes to 60 percent of all human illness and disease, according to the American Institute of Stress.
Medical experts recommend getting adequate sleep, eating a healthy diet and reducing intake of sugar and caffeine to manage stress. IMAGE/examiner.com
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