Science says: washing dishes by hand reduces stress

Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: washing dishes by hand reduces stress.

It has been scientifically established: doing the dishes can be relaxing. At least, that is the conclusion of researchers from Florida State University. The participants experienced less stress and felt more relaxed and inspired after the plates and cups had gone through a soapy wash.

Researcher Adam Hanley wondered if you could also find relaxation in ordinary, everyday tasks like vacuuming and washing dishes, he says. ‘Could you train mindfulness with that and become happier? That's what I wanted to investigate.’

Warm water, nice suds
He asked if 51 students would do the dishes. Half of his participants received a prior instruction advising them to engage all their senses while doing the dishes. The smell of the dish soap, the feel of the warm water, the sound of the dripping faucet: they had to consciously perceive everything. The other half received business-like instructions about the dishes. Relaxing….

What do you think: the group that attentively lowered the dirty cutlery and used teacups into the basin was much more relaxed afterwards than the group that just did the dishes. They reported feeling 27 percent less tense and had 25 percent more inspiration.
Dishwasher closed.

Diehard
scientists then say – rightly – that 51 students is just a small group of test subjects, and that the research needs to be repeated and expanded to draw solid conclusions. But it doesn't hurt to take these results to heart: keep the dishwasher closed when you're stressed and go have fun with the dish brush, just see how much better you feel. Source: marthastewart.com.

Science says: washing dishes by hand reduces stress : Amayzine.com