Washing the dishes is a nightly chore few people relish. But is it possible that with the right approach, a little scrubbing could work wonders for your physical and mental health?
That is the conclusion of a new Florida State University study published in the journal “Mindfulness.”
FSU researchers asked 51 students to wash dishes. But before the students got their hands wet, half were asked to read a short passage about remaining mindful – or in the “present moment” – while washing dishes.
The other half of the students were asked to read a more straightforward explanation of the technique of washing dishes.
The result? Students who read the mindfulness passage reported feelings of inspiration that increased by 25 percent and levels of nervousness that dipped by 27 percent.
By contrast, students who read the passage on dishwashing techniques reported no emotional benefits after cleaning their dishes.
Adam Hanley, the study’s author and a doctoral candidate in the FSU College of Education’s Counseling/School Psychology program, says washing dishes is not the only activity that can provide an emotional lift.
“Any activity performed with intention could potentially function as a mindfulness meditation practice,” he says.
The importance of reducing stress
Hanley says today’s fast-paced world – including the technology that keeps us plugged in 24 hours a day – has added a lot of stress to the lives of average Americans.
“Being stressed appears more the norm than the exception,” he says.
Failing to reduce stress can put our physical and emotional well-being at risk. During stressful times, the body releases hormones that cause the heart to beat faster, the lungs to work harder and blood vessels to narrow.
In the short-term, these changes are relatively harmless. But over longer periods, regular exposure to stress can trigger a range of health problems, according to the National Institutes of Health. These include:
- Digestive disorders
- Headaches
- Sleep disorders
How to relax naturally
As life has become more hectic, the average person spends longer periods in a stressed-out state.
“It takes a concerted effort to carve out down time for relaxation,” Hanley says.
Fortunately, Hanley says, there is a good natural solution to calming down: “Mindfulness is an excellent stress-reducing practice,” he says.
How can you put yourself in a more “mindful” state? The students in the FSU study were urged to remember that they were simply washing dishes and doing nothing else. They were encouraged to immerse themselves in the experience by involving all their senses, such as:
- Smelling the soap
- Concentrating on the warmth of the water
- Paying attention to feel of the dishes
Hanley says such mindfulness can be integrated into virtually any activity during any part of your day. He urges you to use your imagination to come up with opportunities to relax.
“Use teeth-brushing as a moment of meditation, lunch as an opportunity to eat mindfully, conversing with loved ones as a practice of loving-kindness,” he says. “Be creative.”
Meanwhile, the NIH has its own webpage devoted to natural relaxation techniques. They include:
- Autogenic training. You focus on sensations of warmth, heaviness and relaxation in various parts of your body.
- Biofeedback-assisted relaxation. Your body is monitored and professionals record physiological reactions – such as increased muscle tension – to stress so you can learn to change them.
- Breathing exercises. You learn to take slow, deep, even breaths to promote relaxation.
- Guided imagery. You concentrate on pleasant images that help you banish more stressful or anxiety-producing thoughts.
- Progressive relaxation. You first tighten and then relax muscle groups throughout your body.
- Self-hypnosis. An expert gives you a phrase or nonverbal cue that is tied to a learned relaxation response.