The Mental Health Benefits Of Gardening

Have you ever noticed that some of the happiest people you know are massively into gardening? The reasons for this are simple: gardening is one of the best things you can do to boost your mental health. 

But why is this? Why do people who spend time in their gardens seem to have healthier inner lives than everyone else? It is a little mysterious. 

The reason, it seems, comes down to the ways that our bodies react when we’re working outdoors. Naturally, we’re inclined to spend time in the sunlight, observing the world around us, and trying to get to grips with it. It’s not just about the physical activity of gardening and so-called feel-good hormones. There’s also a sense that you’re really profoundly connecting with nature. It feels very different from spending an evening in front of Netflix. 

So what benefits do people who garden regularly report? Check them out below. 

A Sense Of Accomplishment

Having a sense of accomplishment and control over your environment is an addictive feeling. The more you experience it, the more you want it.

Gardens are chaotic systems. Over time, they devolve into an all-against-all survival of the fittest. And it can be a challenge to bring them under control. That, however, is part of the joy of the process. It’s nice to feel like you can tame nature – at least on a small patch of land – and get some genuine satisfaction from the process. 

An Increase In Creativity

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We don’t tend to think of being creative as a health benefit, but it is a vital sign that we are in a good place. Creativity is a mental state that recruits practically every area of the brain. But it can only happen if we are in a positive frame of mind. If you’re using mental resources worrying about something, it’s hard to develop new ideas. Gardening helps to direct your focus on the outside world instead of your internal thoughts, allowing you room for creativity where you would have struggled before. 

Improved Mood

Would you like to improve your mood? Well, according to data collected by Plant Life Balance, gardening can help. According to their research, around 58 percent of people experience improvements in how they feel when they spend time in the garden. 

Feeling More Connected To Others

We typically see gardening as an individual pursuit. Interestingly, a large segment of people who do it feels more connected to the broader community. Part of this has to do with the fact that some gardening tasks are communal. For example, Lineage Tree Care points out that gardening involves tree trimming and storm clean-up that affect the whole community. If you visit their website, you can see examples of what they mean. Things like overhanging trees can affect both the property owner and their neighbors. 

Feeling More Connected To Nature

Finally, a large number of people say that gardening makes them feel more connected to nature – something that tends to enhance overall well-being considerably.

This is a collaborative post

Melinda