This article was originally published by Van Winkle's, the website dedicated to better sleep and wakefulness.
Got clutter? You also may have a higher risk for sleep problems.
A new study from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, found that those at risk for hoarding are more likely to have serious complaints about sleep. The new findings were presented at Sleep 2015, the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
"Hoarders typically have problems with decision-making and executive function; poor sleep is known to compromise cognition generally, so if hoarders have cluttered/unusable bedrooms… Stress may increase as sleep quality worsens," says lead author Pamela Thacher, assistant professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University.
I’m not a hoarder, I’m just not a neat freak.
Even if you’re not a candidate for the popular Bravo show, if your bedroom is a mess, your sleep could be suffering. According to Michael Breus, Ph.D., aka the Sleep Doctor, “When you walk into a room, what your eye sees can actually determine whether or not you're going to have an easy time falling asleep.”
That pile of laundry at the foot of your bed? That ransacked disaster zone you call your closet? That stash of random papers and unopened mail flung on your night table? They could be giving you a case of the red meanies. That’s why the first thing Breus advises patients with sleep complaints — sounding a bit parental — is, “Clean up your bedroom.”
I like to think that messiness is next to godliness.
Well, you’re wrong. In fact, de-cluttering expert Christa O’Leary, author of Home and Harmony, agrees that messiness leads to stress. “Your bed and bedroom should be a sanctuary where you’re able to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit,” she says. A cluttered room will weigh on you consciously, or unconsciously, and prevent you from fully recharging overnight.
While you may feel acclimated to the mess, your brain actually interprets it as a chore that needs to be tackled, which makes it jumpy. “We might ignore the clutter on a conscious level because it’s been there for so long, but on an unconscious level the brain wants to complete the task,” you know, clean the place up, O’Leary adds.
So what’s the plan?
Help in the de-cluttering department isn’t hard to come by these days, with hundreds of self-styled experts. The “It girl” in the de-cluttering world, Japanese consultant Marie Kondo, may be the most sought after. Her bestselling guide, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has racked up millions of sales. Kondo has apparently come to the rescue of countless people around the globe with her now-famous KonMari method. She also has a three-month client wait list.
Bottom-lining her approach to de-acquisitioning: Just ask of each item, “Does this bring me joy?” If it doesn’t, get rid of it. (Sorry, this doesn't work with unpaid bills.)
What if I just shove everything under the bed?
Out of sight does not mean out of mind. According to feng shui consultant and author Jayme Barrett, “Clutter under the bed has its own energy, which can disturb sleep — especially if it's work-related clutter... It can impede moving forward in life.”
She likes to tell the story of one client, an insomniac dentist, who stored patients' X-rays under her bed. “As soon as the X-rays were moved out, sleep returned,” Barrett says.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.