IS BEING DISORGANIZED
MAKING YOU
Sick?
is being disorganized making you
Sick?
If you’re living with clutter and Chronic Disorganization, you may literally be taking your life in your hands.
Being surrounded by clutter takes a toll on your physical well-being. Having piles of clothes, paper, and general “stuff” on the floor, tables, counters, in closets and cabinets, and even under furniture is dangerous. It creates hazards that can cause tripping and falling, which can lead to broken bones and the inability to call for help. Things stacked to the ceiling can fall, causing a concussion or more serious traumatic brain injury. Blocked entrances and exits prevent emergency responders from being able to access a space easily.
how is disorganization hazardous to your health?
Clutter that has existed a long time or that blocks air circulation from windows or ductwork collects dust, which contributes to respiratory ailments.
An overstuffed kitchen is an obvious fire hazard. Abandoned food and food wrappers attract rodents that munch on paper and clothes, then leave their droppings. These droppings give off toxins that get into the lungs when inhaled and cause hantavirus, a serious respiratory disease. Decaying food also attracts insects, such as flies, which carry myriad diseases.
Clutter often causes and is caused by anxiety and depression, one aspect of which is low self-esteem, which leads to neglecting one’s personal care. Showering and brushing one’s teeth may go by the wayside. Improper oral health can contribute to cardiovascular disease, dementia, and many other physical conditions.
Low self-esteem can manifest in having no energy to exercise, a disinterest in proper nutrition, and an erratic sleep schedule. These contribute to impaired cognition and executive function, making decisions and follow-through more difficult, which leads to even more clutter. Sleep deprivation alone is linked to many physical challenges, including weight gain, heart disease, impaired immunity, and diabetes.
A cluttered space and a lack of systems causes stress, which produces the hormone cortisol, which governs many important bodily functions.
Cortisol regulates the amount of glucose, insulin, potassium, and sodium in the blood, and affects the metabolism of fats. Prolonged elevated levels of cortisol therefore put increased stress on the liver, kidneys, and small intestine.
Cortisol affects the absorption of calcium, which decreases bone formation, contributing to osteoporosis. Cortisol also down-regulates the production of collagen, the protein that forms most of the body’s connective tissue (cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and skin).
Cortisol works with adrenaline to create memories of short-term emotional events, a means to remember what to avoid in the future. Long-term exposure to cortisol damages cells in the hippocampus of the brain, resulting in impaired learning.
While cortisol prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation, it also weakens the immune system by preventing the growth of T-cells, white blood cells that fight infection, leaving the body vulnerable to disease.
Clearing clutter and getting organized create more than just a pleasant living or working environment.
They literally improve your health and prolong your life.
author
Gayle M. Gruenberg
Gayle M. Gruenberg, CPO-CD® is the Chief Executive Organizer of Let’s Get Organized, LLC, an award-winning professional organizing firm based in Bergen County, New Jersey. Gayle is the creator of the Make Space for Blessings™ system. LGO works with busy families to help them find more time, space, money, and energy and connect their lives to their core values through being organized.