In today’s fast-paced world, finding ways to unwind and care for your mental health is more important than ever, but also increasingly difficult to devote time and effort into. One surprisingly effective method is gardening! Your favourite hobby or newfound passion has been proven to have a positive impact on improving mental health. Whether you have a large backyard, a small balcony, or even just a few pots on a windowsill, cultivating plants can provide profound mental health benefits.
Here are 5 key ways that gardening can improve mental health:
- Reduces Stress
Spending time in nature has a history of being linked to reduced stress levels, and gardening is an easy and accessible way to connect to nature closer to home. The act of digging, planting, and nurturing plants can provide the following:
- Lowered cortisol levels (the hormone associated with stress)
- A calming and grounding effect, especially when working with soil
- A break from screens and constant noise of daily life
- A meditative escape from overthinking and worry, placing focus on slowing down and appreciating the small details in life
Although these seem small, these can have a great positive influence on your daily life to help build a healthier mindset and provide a sanctuary safe space for you to relax and reconnect with what matters most.
- Natural Mood Booster
Not only is gardening good for your plants, but it’s good for your soul. Studies have shown that interacting with plants can:
- Increase serotonin levels (your happy hormone), as a result of more sunlight exposure and connecting with nature by nurturing and caring for plants
- Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by providing a sense of accomplishment
- Release endorphins (another type of happy hormone) through light physical activity, leaving you feeling more content and energized
Spending time tapping into your natural happy hormones and adjusting your lifestyle to involve more activities that leave you feeling happy and accomplished is an important part of a regular routine that can greatly benefit your mental health in the short and long run. Gardening is a simple and rewarding way to get all these benefits and more.
- Build a Sense of Accomplishment
Gardening is a productive hobby that provides visible results over time, helping to foster a sense of achievement. Whether it’s watching your first tomato ripen or seeing flowers bloom, it is important to recognize when something flourishes because you put care into it, and each of these milestones are proven to help:
- Boost self-esteem
- Encourage perseverance and patience
- Reinforce the value of nurturing and growth, both for your plants and yourself
Even the smallest most mundane of accomplishments can help improve mental health, and building a place of encouragement and accomplishment such as in the garden can be the first step to building something lasting and rewarding for yourself.
- Physical Activity
While gardening may not seem like a workout, it involves a surprising amount of physical activity including digging, bending, and lifting. It gets your body moving, which in turn:
- Increases blood circulation, which is linked to improved brain function
- Reduces fatigue and boosts overall energy levels
- Combines the mental benefits of exercise with the joy of creative something beautiful
Studies prove that physical activity, even in small capacities, can greatly improve your mental health and well-being. As people age and their bodies wear down, exercise can prove to be difficult to do and devote to, but gardening can be an easier and just as effective way to move your body.
- Building Community
Gardening can also help combat feelings of loneliness or isolation by building social connections through the gardening community. Whether it’s joining a gardening club, participating in community gardening projects, or simply sharing a conversation with another passionate gardener, this can help your mental health by:
- Build meaningful relationships
- Gain inspiration and motivation
- Feeling part of a larger, and supportive community
To summarize, gardening is proven to reduce stress, act as a natural mood booster, build a sense of accomplishment, promote physical activity, and help build community which all work together to improve mental health and build a better mindset in daily life.
You don’t have to have a huge garden to experience the mental health benefits of gardening. Begin with a few pots of herbs, a small flower bed, or even a succulent on your desk. Over time, as you nurture your plants, you’ll likely find that gardening nurtures you in return.
By cultivating a connection with nature, embracing mindfulness, and finding joy in the growth process, gardening can become a powerful tool for improving mental well-being.