Gardening And Mental Health

As I was sat the other night at my fulltime job, I had a sudden realization that I always feel so much better when I'm out in my garden, whether it's ripping up my grass, planting a new plant, even scattering stinky manure all over the place. It got me thinking about gardening and the benefits it can have on mental health.
I long known the connections and benefits between nature and health, but I started wondering if everyone else did, and, well here we are!

"To nurture a garden, is to feed not just the body, but the soul" - Alfred Austin.

There have have been many studies over the decades, even centuries and I'm sure many more to come, about the benefits gardening and nature as a whole can provide for us.  Its's been shown to lower stress, reduce negative emotions and, of course, promote relaxation.

But there are so many more benefits!
By getting out, we are engaging in physical activity, even if it's as simple as scattering some new seeds. This not only has positive effects on our mind, but also our body, as exercise is good for you! (Or so I'm told, hehehe) Because of the physical activity, our moods are increased and uplifted due to an increase in serotonin and dopamine.

"Soil contains the bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae that is absorbed through the skin of the fingers and palms when gardening, triggering a release of serotonin in the brain." - US Department of Agriculture.

There is a very interesting article regarding Mental Health and Bacteria from the University of Colorado Boulder about the use of bacteria a mental health!

Gardening can boost our self-esteem and confidence as we watch our creations and plants thrive and blossom from the care we have provided and helps us feel just that touch more accomplished.

One study (conducted in 2006 on men and women in their 60's) concluded that those that gardened on a regular basis had a 36% lower risk of developing dementia than those who didn't! But in general gardening has been shown to improve cognitive function and memory! (In my case it'sbecause I'm always saying , "now what did I plant there")

Gardening is also great for those of us who are neuro-spicy, such as myself with my ADHD. It improves of focus and attention span and encourages us to be present in the moment. I also love it because, no matter how hermit-like you are, you inevitably find yourself talking to other gardeners, exchanging  seeds, asking questions about weed and plant identification, it just helps us create social connections.

It's not just outdoors where these benefits occur but in our homes, offices and workplaces!
The University of Sydney conducted a recent study on 55 participants within an office surrounding, 40 of which completed the study. From these 40, it was found that there was a 37% reduction in tension and anxiety, a 58% reduction in depression and a 44% reduction in anger and hostility! That's massive!

The potential for gardening as therapy, aka horticulture therapy, is becoming increasingly popular, benefitting people all over the world, whether it's trauma or PTSD, anxiety, depression or a myriad of other conditions, the opportunities are boundless, as are our gardens and nature.

Let us retreat, and fill our souls with nature.