Five Ways Gardening Affects Mental Health
It probably doesn’t surprise you that the rates of depression and anxiety have risen since pre-Covid. What may surprise you is the role gardening plays in this. In fact, research shows that direct contact with plants is believed to guide a person's focus away from stress enhancing their overall quality of life.
Here are five ways gardening affects mental health:
Work it out
Gardening is comparable to working out at the gym. Seriously! Gardening is considered an aerobic activity and calorie burner. Forget about that treadmill and try gardening instead.
Get some sunshine
We all know sunshine is needed for your garden to grow. But it is also good for you! Sunshine provides vitamin D, and vitamin D produces serotonin, which increases feelings of happiness.
Connect with nature
Being in nature is proven to produce feelings of relaxation and calm. Gardening takes you out of the rat race mindset and brings you into the embrace of the slower pace of the natural world.
Focus on the task at hand
When gardening, you have to pay attention to what your plants need. This can take you out of stressful or dark thoughts. Gardening forces you to focus on the task at hand instead of thinking about things outside of your control.
Achieve a sense of accomplishment
Seeing your garden thrive boosts your confidence by reminding you of your capabilities. Being proud of the harvest of fresh vegetables you produced with your own hands is definitely a mood booster!