It is no secret that gardening has a strong correlation with improving mental health among adults.
But why is it so effective?
According to the mental health charity Mind, the benefits of gardening include;
- Improved mood
- Reduced feelings of stress and anxiety
- Help you feel more relaxed
- Improve physical health
- Improve confidence and self-esteem
- Help you become more active
- Help you build new connections
In this article, we focus on how gardening can help with mental health and how it’s benefits can improve the overall quality of your life.
Gardening can help improve your mood
Not only can gardening be fun, but it can be a great way to boost your mood.
Regular exercise is well known to reduce the effects of mental health. By maintaining your garden, the act of digging, pushing a lawnmower and raking leaves can all be a great form of exercise.
Whilst gardening is a gentle form of exercise, it provides an effective workout whilst putting minimal strain on the body – unlike weight lifting at the gym. If you’re someone that has a fear of gyms, this may be the perfect fitness routine!
Natural daylight can lift your mood
Exposing yourself to natural daylight is a great way to improve your mood. Sunshine can trigger the hormone serotonin which acts as a mood stabiliser that helps us feel more positive and productive.
During the winter months, this is sometimes a lot harder to come by. It is therefore important to expose yourself to a safe level of sunshine to help stabilise your mood.
It can give you a sense of personal achievement
We all feel good when we have achieved a set of goals – big or small. Setting yourself small daily targets in the garden can be a great way to boost your self-esteem and create a sense of purpose in your life.
Regularly maintaining your garden can give you a sense of achievement once all jobs on your to-do list has been completed. This can increase your level of self-efficiency which is a great way to improve anxiety and depression.
It can be a great way to make new friends
Gardening can be a positive way to build a close support network that can help you with mental health.
If you’re struggling with confidence issues, joining a community gardening project is a great way to socialise and make new friends. Having a support network can be a crucial part of the recovery process.
You can search for local community activities through networks such as meetup. This is an online space which has been designed to bring people together through trying new hobbies or doing what you love!
Connecting with nature can be a great way to bring peace to the mind
Being outside is a great way to bring inner peace within the mind. By creating your own outdoor space that you feel comfortable being in, you provide yourself with a safe, comfortable place where you can fully relax.
If you are located in urban areas and have little exposure to greenery, try creating plant pots of flowers. This way, you can make an area on your patio or balcony which exposes you to a hint of nature.