The process of moving from one home to another often proves to be not only a physical challenge but a mental struggle as well. So, in order to have a successful house move, you’re going to need to be ready both physically and mentally for the big changes that are coming your way.
How will moving house affect you physically?
Your first reaction will probably be to picture heavy furniture pieces and a multitude of big boxes to be carried out of the place and loaded onto the vehicle. So, it’s only natural that you will assume that the major effect moving house will have on your body will be tiredness and even exhaustion from the physical exertion of packing up your things for days on end and having to lift and carry heavy items on moving day as well.
However, the physical effects of moving house on your body will not only be exhaustion – you should also expect to experience sleep deprivation (likely), muscle soreness (very likely), physical injuries (God forbid!), dehydration (unlikely but still possible), and headaches (extremely likely).
So, how does moving house affect you physically?
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is when you’re not getting enough sleep. But how much sleep is enough? Well, most adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night to feel OK the next day and stay healthy in general.
The upcoming house move is very likely to stress you out in a number of ways, which in turn may cause you to have trouble sleeping like you used to. Another reason why you may end up sleeping less than usual might be the necessity to sacrifice some of your sleep in order to complete more move-related tasks.
The good news is that your instances of sleep deprivation will only be temporary, meaning that once you manage to do all the things you had to do urgently (most often packing), you can get your sleep schedule back to normal.
The bad news is that getting less sleep than usual will affect you negatively during the relocation period. Expect to experience minor symptoms of sleep deprivation such as
- drowsiness;
- inability to concentrate;
- memory problems, and
- less physical strength.
So, if you do end up sleeping (much) less due to move-related anxiety or a dire need to “win” more time by sacrificing your sleep time, then you’re likely to have less physical strength on the next day.
Read also: How to stay calm when moving
Physical exhaustion
You shouldn’t be too surprised to learn that you will get to feel tired during the period of preparing to move out. Very tired.
Mind you that feeling tired won’t be the sole result of having to do physically demanding jobs such as packing up your things for days and days, disassembling your large furniture pieces, and practically running around completing all types of in-between tasks such as taking your pet to the vet’s office for a checkup and securing the services of a professional moving company.
The feeling of extreme tiredness – aka exhaustion – will most likely come as a result of your disrupted sleep habits, the change in your daily routine, and the existence of various stress-inducing factors throughout the move.
Feeling fatigued after a hard day’s work is normal and expected but when physical exhaustion continues day to day and begins to affect your health and safety during the move, then it becomes a problem you should deal with it promptly.
Good to know: How to keep your energy up during a move
Physical injuries
Moving day can prove to be dangerous if you make the mistake of turning your back on safety. Moving heavy furniture items without using all the proper safety precautions can easily lead to a number of move-related injuries, especially when you’re going up or down the stairs with those heavyweight items.
Without a doubt, physical injuries are the worst thing that can happen to you when moving house. Even minor injuries can cause pain, discomfort, frustration, and hours of lost time due to the possible inability to continue work.
Here are the most common injuries when moving house:
- Back injuries. Unfortunately, back injuries such as pinched nerves, strains, and herniated disks are more common than you think and they are often caused by improper lifting techniques.
- Muscle injuries. When moving without using the services of a mover, your moving day is likely to involve many uncharacteristic movements such as bending, pushing, pulling, lifting, squatting, and twisting. Such movements could result in various muscle injuries: strains, contusions, or cramps.
- Injuries to hands, fingers, and toes. Bear in mind that some injuries will come as a direct result of your exhaustion on the day of the move – for example, various injuries to your hands, fingers, and toes. The most common move-related injuries to digits include scrapes, cuts, bruises, and the more serious ones such as broken fingers or toes, or sprained ankles.
See also: Common moving injuries: types and prevention techniques
Dehydration
Another way you can be affected physically when moving house is to get dehydrated on the day of the move, especially when moving on a hot summer day.
Dehydration happens when you lose more fluids than you take in. In such instances, your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to keep carrying out its normal functions.
In the context of your relocation, you may get dehydrated if you don’t drink enough water or other fluids during hot weather. The strain of carrying around boxes and other heavy objects in the summer is very likely to cause you to start sweating so that your body can cool down.
However, sweating profusely will only accelerate the loss of fluids in your organism, so unless you take frequent breaks to drink water on the day of your move, you’re likely to get dehydrated.
The good news is that mild to moderate dehydration can be reversed by simply drinking more fluids but if you do nothing and continue to work in the hot environment, then you could get hit by severe dehydration – a dangerous condition that requires immediate medical treatment.
Whenever you start to experience any of these symptoms – extreme thirst, less frequent urination, dark-colored urine, fatigue, dizziness, or confusion, you may have become dehydrated, so make sure you drink plenty of fluids.
Do’s and don’ts when moving in the summer
Headaches
Headaches – throbbing, constant, sharp, or dull – are a very common condition that many people get to experience many times in their lives.
Chances are that you also have a headache from time to time caused by a number of environmental factors. However, when you’re moving house, you’re very likely to experience headaches much more often than usual.
During a house move, you surely don’t need to hit your head against something to get a headache. The constant worries about how much of your hard-earned money you’ll have to spend on the move, the stress of having to complete all tasks within a short period of time (working under a deadline), the anxiety about whether your prized possessions will reach the new home unscathed, and the fear that you or a loved one might get hurt on the day of the move will surely make your head hurt long before moving day comes around.
Unforeseen problems during the relocation can also trigger strong headaches, so you’re strongly advised to plan out your move as well as possible.
Useful info: How far in advance should you plan a move?
One thing is sure – moving house will affect you both physically and mentally, so the best thing you can do is minimize the negative effects your move will have on you.
To avoid sleep deprivation, prevent physical exhaustion, keep yourself free of injuries, avoid dehydration, and have a headache-free move, do yourself a favor a hire one of the best movers near you.
