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Clutter Makes You Stressed and Depressed. Here’s How to Get Rid of It

Clutter Makes You Stressed and Depressed. Here’s How to Get Rid of It

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[tldr]

  • There’s a growing body of research linking clutter with stress and depression.
  • Studies have found that a messy house leads to more life dissatisfaction, especially in older people.
  • Clutter can also raise your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and negatively impact your concentration.
  • It’s possible to get a handle on clutter. Read on for tips from a professional home organizer.

[/tldr]

It seems as if everyone is Marie Kondo-ing (yep, the decluttering guru is now a verb) their home. Clearing out clutter is the activity du jour. A tidy and orderly house is nice, sure, but if you need further motivation to throw stuff out, do it for your mental health. There’s a growing body of research linking clutter with stress and depression.

Read on to learn what the science says about clutter and your state mind. Plus, actionable tips from a professional home organizer on how to purge your home of things and gain control of the mess. Download this clutter checklist to start decluttering today.  

Tidy house, tidy mind: What the science says

It turns out, more stuff won’t make you happier.

A 2017 study examined the effects of clutter on different age groups: college students, young adults in their 20s and 30s, and older adults over 50.[ref url=”https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12144-017-9679-4″] The report found that procrastination and clutter were closely linked — people put off clearing out their homes because cleaning and organizing can be cumbersome, so they’d rather not do it. But this avoidance impacts your mental health. Clutter problems led to a big drop in life dissatisfaction among the older adults.

Clutter can also raise your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. An extensive study from the Los Angeles-based Center on Everyday Lives of Families (CELF) looked at 60 families and found that women who described their home as cluttered had higher levels of cortisol throughout the day.[ref url=”https://repettilab.psych.ucla.edu/no%20place%20like%20home.pdf”] They also reported feeling more depressed as the day went on, more tired in the evening, and had more difficulty switching from work to home.

Men, however, weren’t as bothered by the mess, and as a result had lower levels of cortisol. The study suggests that women may feel more responsibility for the home environment, compared to men.

Clutter and brain power

A cluttered space can also negatively impact your concentration. A study from the Princeton Neuroscience Institute looked at clutter’s effect on the brain. It found that having too much visual stimuli makes it difficult for your brain to focus and process information.[ref url=”http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/2/587″] When people look at too much stuff, their brain power and productivity tank.

“I find that my patients with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) start to function better in their lives when their home feels neat and organized, and they’re able to create systems for where they keep certain objects like phone, wallet, and keys,” says Ellen Vora, MD, a holistic psychiatrist.

Related: Feeling Stressed Out? The Definitive Guide to Stress Management

How to get rid of clutter

Here’s the good news — while that giant stack of old magazines may seem insurmountable, you can get a handle on clutter.

There isn’t one way to clear up the mess, and you’ll want to pick an approach that resonates with you. Marie Kondo, for instance, suggests an all-or-nothing approach. You tackle your entire house over the course of a mere few weeks, and keep only those things that “spark joy,” as she puts it. Others may adopt a more modest approach, and recommend starting with something small, like your bathroom cabinet.

Visual clutter versus physical clutter

“Organizing is important because the more organized you are, the less stress you have in your life, and the more time you’ll have to do what you want to do,” says professional organizer Barbara Reich.

Reich distinguishes between two types of clutter: visual (what you see when you look around a room) and physical clutter (the amount of stuff you have).

To reduce visual clutter, she recommends:

  • Start with countertops and surfaces. “Having clear countertops and surfaces is one of the easiest ways to reduce visual clutter,” says Reich. “If there’s an area that you tend to dump or drop things, consider placing a tray with a candle or framed picture there.”
  • Have uniform hangers in closets to tone down visual noise
  • Choose identical containers (even if they’re different sizes)

To cut down on physical clutter:

  • Get rid of all toiletries passed their expiration date.
  • Eliminate all food that is passed the “use by” date.
  • Throw out or give away all clothing that is stained, doesn’t fit, or beyond repair.

And the most obvious strategy — buy less. The fewer things you bring into your home, the less stuff will pile up.

For more home organizing strategies, head over here to start decluttering your life — and your mind — today.

 

 

 

Hold on: Vegan Meat Isn’t Better for You or the Planet. Here’s Why

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[tldr]

  • Using plant-based foods and binders, vegan meat brands offer a cruelty-free option for animal protein that tastes and looks similar to the real thing.
  • While it avoids the problems of factory-farmed meat, vegan meat still contains a laundry list of ingredients that won’t make you feel your best.
  • You don’t have to swear off steaks to help the environment. Supporting organic farms and buying high-quality meat helps, too.

[/tldr]

Waltz up to your grocery store meat case, and you’re more likely than ever to find a new alternative: Vegan meat. These plant-based burger patties and sausages look and, in some cases, even taste just like the real thing, while posing as a sustainable and cruelty-free alternative to beef and pork. Can you really get the same power from this new kind of protein?

Besides getting less satisfaction (and possibly more disaster pants — aka diarrhea) from plant-based meat, these beefed-up alternatives may not be that much better for you — or the planet. Here’s why vegan meat is less mighty than you think, plus better ways to eat for the environment.

Download the Bulletproof Diet Roadmap for a complete list of proteins that keep you full and focused

What is vegan meat made of?

Vegan meat offers a kill-free source of protein -- but is it healthy? Here’s a look at why plant-based meat might not be better for you (or the environment).

Vegan meat brands advertise their patties, crumbles, and sausages as a complete replacement for animal protein. Using a mix of plant-based foods and binders, you can cook a faux-meat dish that looks and tastes strikingly similar to the real thing. Some of these vegan meat offerings also contain no gluten, soy, or GMOs.

For anyone focused on a cruelty-free diet, vegan meat looks like a viable option because it doesn’t require slaughtering animals. Plus, it eliminates the troublesome issues with factory-farmed meat, such as loading cows with cheap grains and antibiotics that make you feel like trash by the last bite.

We can agree that animals that eat garbage and grow up in confined spaces won’t produce meat that makes you feel amazing — but the vegan alternative isn’t as wholesome as you think, either.

Problems with vegan meat substitutes

Gut-damaging ingredients

Burger patties typically contain one ingredient: Meat. Pick up the vegan version, though, and you’ll find additions like pea protein, canola oil, yeast, and mystery “natural flavors.”

Sure, they’re all technically plant-based ingredients, but not all forms of plants will help you feel your best. Yeast contains mold toxins that will throw your gut health into a tailspin, peas contain lectins that mess with your joints, and canola oil contains inflammatory trans fats. These are only a portion of ingredients you can find in vegan meat — and while they may taste great, they won’t make you feel as good.

Poor nutrition

The nutritional value in vegan meat can’t hold a candle to animal meats, either. Vegan diets are known for causing nutrient deficiencies, as well as increasing your intake of less optimal fats. Grass-fed beef contains more quality saturated fat and protein per serving than the average vegan patty, so you’ll just feel better after eating it.

In addition to those higher-quality fats and protein, pastured meat contains more bioavailable vitamins you can’t easily get from plants — all without the antinutrients that make you weak.

Environmental impact

Is vegan meat really better for the planet? The answer is complicated.

In studies comparing the environmental impacts of vegan diets against meat eaters, meat does make a larger footprint.[ref url=“https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5522483/”] However, the way you source your food matters. A vegan living off processed soy ice cream and french fries may not serve our soil’s biodiversity as well as an omnivore eating pastured meats and butter from happy cows.

Why? Ruminant animals — especially the happy, pastured kind — help fertilize the soil and maintain its natural nutrient density. Without them, we depend on artificial fertilizers that tilt our soil’s ecosystem out of balance.

Plus, vegan meat may not come cruelty-free. Harvesting crops for these plant patties may include industrial farming practices that harm bees or small animals. Eating a grass-fed burger does sacrifice a cow’s life, but causes the least harm to animals as a whole.[ref url=“https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1025638030686?LI=true”]

Whether you eat meat or not, your diet will do more for the planet if you pay attention to how your food got to your plate.

Better ways to eat meat (or less of it)

Vegan meat offers a kill-free source of protein -- but is it healthy? Here’s a look at why plant-based meat might not be better for you (or the environment).

  • When you eat meat, go grass-fed. It tastes better and improves soil quality. Look for beef from small, local farms whenever possible.
  • Eat more fat. Too much meat puts stress on your digestive system, and the protein you don’t use turns to glucose and stores as fat in your body. Instead of going for seconds on bacon, enjoy a heaping scoop of guacamole instead.
  • Diversify your protein sources. Don’t just cook beef — enjoy wild-caught fish and eggs from happy chickens, too. Learn more here about the best healthy sources of protein.
  • Eat more organic foods, and less processed junk. Organic food makes a difference because it creates healthier soil and more sustainable farms. Prepackaged and prepared foods (even organic ones) use more environmental resources.

Read Next: What to Know Before Going Vegan

 

9 Ways to Increase Emotional Intelligence (Plus Downloadable Emotions List)

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[tldr]

  • Emotional intelligence is being aware of your own emotions and the emotions of others, and the ability to control your own emotions. It also measures how effective you are in close relationships.
  • Studies show that high emotional intelligence is associated with better relationships, more successful academics, and better work performance.
  • Emotional intelligence also predicts mental performance better than general intelligence measures do.
  • Keep reading to learn more about emotional intelligence and how to improve yours to thrive in your work and life.

[/tldr]

Over the last decade or so, emotional intelligence has drawn a lot of attention as a way to improve your success in life. Studies have shown that high emotional intelligence is associated with satisfaction in relationships,[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886907004308″] makes for a smoother transition from high school to college,[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019188690300076X”] influences success in medical school,[ref url=”https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-39648-001″] and predicts performance on cognitive tasks better than general intelligence measures (knowledge tests and ability to calculate, etc.).[ref url=”https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224540209603891″]

Keep reading to learn more about emotional intelligence and how to improve yours to thrive in your work and life.

Instantly download this emotions list to help you identify your emotions and better control them. (Or, print in grayscale.)

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, means being aware of your own emotions and the emotions of others, and the ability to control your own emotions. It also measures how you get along in your close relationships. Questionnaires that measure emotional intelligence assess four main things:

  • Self-awareness: recognizing your own feelings. For example, “I’m feeling apprehensive or angry.”
  • Managing emotions: handling your own feelings with composure and understanding what is causing you to feel the way you feel
  • Self-motivation: using your emotions to further your own goals. Self-motivation also involves being able to control your emotions and the ability to step back and think before you act impulsively
  • Empathy: sensitivity to the emotions of others and being able to put yourself in others’ shoes
  • Relationships: social skills and social appropriateness

Related: How to Deal With Difficult People, According to Science

How do you test emotional intelligence?

To measure emotional intelligence, a person will fill out a self-reported assessment, or a third party who knows the individual well will answer questions about how the other person may behave in certain scenarios. There are also performance-based assessments that have people answer how they reacted in certain scenarios or how they would behave in imagined scenarios.

Some of the more commonly used emotional intelligence assessments include the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso EI Test (MSCEIT) and the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i). Tests are available on the publishers’ websites for purchase, or you can ask your doctor or therapist to administer the test to you. Some employers use emotional intelligence tests as a screening tool.

Why everyone should continually work on mental strength

The ability to control your own emotions has a tremendous impact on how you handle every area of your life. Mentally strong people are more successful at things like work,[ref url=”https://www.redalyc.org/html/727/72709520/”][ref url=”https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/eb028958″] in relationships,[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886907004308″] and in academics,[ref url=”https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-39648-001″][ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019188690300076X”] to name a few.

Psychotherapist, psychology professor, and licensed social worker Amy Morin is the bestselling author of “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” with two more “13 Things” books written specifically for women and parents. She wrote it originally as a note to herself, as she noticed over years of her psychotherapy practice that there were certain things mentally strong people consistently did not do.

On an episode of Bulletproof Radio, (iTunes)  psychotherapist Amy Morin shares the inspiration behind her books, including the bestselling “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.”

“I realized that people who were stronger than others, there were certain things that they just didn’t do, so that no matter what they went through, no matter what sort of practices they were doing, as long as they didn’t do certain things, they came out mentally stronger,” she says.

Related: Unexpected Ways to Build Resilience in 7 Days

How to improve your emotional intelligence

Practice labeling your emotions

Labeling your emotions brings to light how your feelings might be impacting your thoughts around a situation.

“Although feelings affect every decision you make, most people don’t spend much time thinking about how they’re feeling,” says Morin. “In fact, they’re often more comfortable saying things like, ‘I had butterflies in my stomach,’ or ‘There was a lump in my throat,’ rather than saying, ‘I felt anxious,’ or ‘I felt sad.’”

Bonus: when you’re in an emotional situation with another person, label their emotion, too. In most cases, you’ll want to keep that to yourself.

Limit your screen time

Studies have shown that screen time makes it more difficult to read emotions.

Morin advises, “Staring at your laptop or smartphone for countless hours can impair your ability to read other people’s feelings. Consider doing a digital detox every once in a while. Going a few days without your electronics could do wonders for your ability to read other people’s emotions.”

Here’s how to do our own digital detox experiment.

Spend a few minutes thinking about how another person is likely to feel

Morin also suggests reframing a situation to put yourself in the other person’s shoes.

“Rather than jump into an argument or interrupt someone you disagree with, put your focus on developing a better understanding of how the other person is feeling.

“Start paying close attention to other people’s emotional states. See if you can recognize how someone is feeling and how that emotion is likely to influence that individual’s perception and behavior,” she says.

Take full responsibility for how you feel

Another thing Morin strongly advocates for is not giving away your power. You are in control of how you feel and how you react to things.

“Rather than blame your boss for making you mad, consider what steps you can take to calm yourself down. Instead of saying your mother makes you feel bad about yourself, focus on repairing your own self-esteem,” says Morin.

Learn to accept your emotions

Whether at school, in the workplace, or even in your own family, too often people are either directly or indirectly taught to suppress their emotions or to be ashamed of them. There’s a societal attitude that appropriate emotional reactions indicate weakness.

Reject that idea. There’s a difference between having an appropriate emotional reaction and an inappropriate one, like lashing out at a co-worker. There’s a difference between a public display of emotion, and honoring and processing how you’re feeling, either privately or with trusted friends or loved ones. When you have an emotional response, like overwhelming resentment or embarrassment, acknowledge them and move through them appropriately for the situation.

Manage your fears

When you want a certain outcome, it’s easy to get into an all-or-none mindset: I’ll be so happy if I get into Firstchoice University, and my future is ruined if I don’t.

Especially when certain aspects are beyond your control, reduce your fears by imagining alternate outcomes: It will feel like a letdown at first, but I know that my second and third choice colleges will open up so many doors for me.

Put some space between the scenario and your reaction

When you’re in a difficult conversation, don’t feel the need to come to a resolution right away. Politely excuse yourself to collect your thoughts. Things to try:

  • Take a walk
  • Call someone for advice, as long as the matter is not private
  • Splash some water on your face or get outside to cool off, literally and figuratively (cooling your body temperature reduces stress)[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1326118″]
  • Write out the scenario to organize your feelings
  • Rehearse a calm response
  • Do a breathing exercise 

When you’re panicked, fight-or-flight activates and rational thought takes a back seat. The goal is to create enough distance that you can get out of fight-or-flight mode and regain rational thought.

Start a meditation practice

There’s lots of evidence that meditation increases emotional intelligence.[ref url=”https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19349637.2014.925364″][ref url=”https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smi.1289″]

Meditation reduces overall stress and helps you learn to recognize thoughts as outside yourself. It takes some practice. Here’s how to get started with meditation.

Practice gratitude

Gratitude can reframe your thoughts and help you see the positive in every scenario. If you practice gratitude when you’re feeling neutral, you’ll be better at it when emotions run high. Here’s how to practice gratitude.

You don’t need to overhaul your life and take on every single new practice. You’ll notice a difference just by increasing your awareness and intentionally incorporating one or two new practices. Use every difficult situation as an opportunity to get better at managing your emotions.

 

 

Can TMS Therapy Alleviate Your Depression?

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[tldr]

  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy uses strong magnets to influence the electric currents that run through your brain. It targets your dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which influences your mood, memory, mental flexibility, and more.
  • TMS therapy is a powerful way to alleviate depression and improve your brain function without the side effects of prescription drugs.
  • TMS therapy involves 20-minute daily sessions with a doctor over 4-5 weeks. The results last for months and the process is painless and noninvasive, with few to no side effects.

[/tldr]

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is a powerful new way to hack your brain, particularly if you tend toward depression.

TMS therapy uses strong, specialized magnets to change the electrical currents in your brain. It’s a great way to boost mood without the many side effects of antidepressants.

Before becoming Bulletproof, I suffered from serious mood swings. I had bursts of anger and bouts of depression and anxiety that sabotaged my work, my health, and — most importantly — my relationships. I haven’t had depression or unstable mood in years, but I’m always interested in ways to relieve depression, especially because it’s been on the rise over the last few years[ref url=”https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml”].

Recently, I tried TMS therapy with Dr. David Feifel (you can hear us talk about treating depression on this Bulletproof Radio podcast episode). When we did it, I felt really weird, like there was a little scrunching in my scalp and a shift upward in my mental energy. I felt happier afterward, like I was a little more in the zone and it was going to be a great day. I could see how doing TMS therapy daily could be a powerful way to boost mental performance and relieve depression.

This article will cover how TMS therapy works, and how you can use it to improve your mood without drugs.

[LINK]

TMS therapy for depression, anxiety, and OCD

TMS therapy works by sending strong magnetic waves deep into your brain. Your brain cells communicate with each other using a combination of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) and electricity. You constantly have low-level voltage running across your brain, and if you change your brain’s electrical patterns, it can have a major influence on how you think and feel.

Your brain also seems to need magnetic fields to orient its electrical activity. Astronauts have magnets in their helmets because their brains don’t work right in space when there’s no magnetic field there.

You can use magnets to influence your brain in a profound way, which is exactly what TMS therapy does. In a TMS session, you sit under a little coil that looks like a butterfly, and it sends an electromagnetic pulse through your dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a part of your brain that influences mood, memory, and mental flexibility.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24405294″]

More than a dozen human studies have found that TMS therapy relieves treatment-resistant depression[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23367835″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4492646/”][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5329982/”]. Other human studies have found that TMS therapy can treat social anxiety[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3837365/”], general anxiety[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26247218″], and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30023172″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6029675/”].

If you have depression, anxiety, or OCD, TMS therapy could be a powerful treatment that doesn’t involve medication or nasty side effects.

Related: Natural Anxiety Relief: 7 Ways to Treat Anxiety Without Medication

TMS therapy for cognitive enhancement

More recent research has found that TMS therapy can help you learn faster. Healthy people who did TMS sessions had significantly faster skill acquisition afterward — in other words, they could learn new things with ease[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4083569/”]. Participants also had better accuracy and speed during cognitively challenging tasks.

TMS therapy could be a valuable new tool for brain hacking, although right now it’s challenging to do TMS sessions without a doctor or a diagnosis. If you want to try something similar without a doctor’s approval, you can visit Upgrade Labs in Los Angeles and try pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy on your brain; it can activate untapped mental energy by making your mitochondria stronger[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3022316″]. You can also use nootropics to unlock more brain power.

How to do TMS therapy

To try TMS therapy, you’ll have to work with a doctor. Usually you do a 20-minute TMS session every day for four or five weeks. The benefits start after your first couple sessions, and they last for about six months after your last session. The process itself is painless and noninvasive. It actually felt kind of good when I tried it. It’s like a massage for the inside of your brain.

TMS therapy is a great way to relieve depression, anxiety, and OCD without taking damaging prescription drugs. Give it a try, and for more ways to get control of depression, check out my guide to fighting depression without medication. Thanks for reading.

 

 

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