Can Gardening Help your Mental Health?

Can Gardening Help your Mental Health?

by Cindy Zabinski, LMHC, LCMHC, CRC, ACS

Now that spring is in full swing, gardening may be A) something you are looking forward to, B) something you are dreading but have to do, or C) something that you avoid at all costs. Whether gardening is a hobby or a task, it can be used as a tool to improve your mood and mental health. Research shows that engaging in gardening can decrease stress and anxiety levels significantly. It has also been seen to show a positive impact on decreasing depression. In this blog article we will explore the potential benefits of gardening on your mental health.

Mindfulness

One way that gardening can be helpful to our mental heath is by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is the art of being fully in the present moment. The best way to do this is to focus on your 5 senses - sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. There are a few ways that one can engage in mindfulness while gardening. By focusing on sight, you can notice the colors of the plant and flowers, the shapes of the petals and leaves, and the life (yes, bugs and worms!) in the soil. Focusing on smell will allow you to enjoy the sweet aroma of the flowers. If you are gardening outside, you can listen to the sounds of life outside, including birds, bugs, or other animals nearby. Taste can be practiced when you have edible options in your garden, such as fruits, vegetables, or edible flowers. Touch allows you to focus on the textures of the soil, roots, and plants. Some may choose to ditch the gardening gloves to more thoroughly appreciate the sense of touch.

Building a Sense of Mastery

Gardening on a regular basis can also build a sense of mastery, by learning and following through with a plan of caring for your plants. Enjoying the outcome of your hard work and dedication promotes a feeling of accomplishment, which can also improve mood. Should you be growing fruits or vegetables, you can bring the fruit and vegetables that you grow into the kitchen and continue building a sense of mastery by preparing and cooking them. If growing flowers, you can cut and create a bouquet to give as a gift or enjoy as a centerpiece on your table. Flower arrangement can become another area to build a sense of mastery.

Changing Brain Chemistry

Gardening can also have a positive impact on hormones and the neurotransmitters in your brain. Research shows that engaging in direct contact with dirt when gardening can increase the release of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a natural anti-depressant. Harvesting from the garden can increase the release of dopamine by seeing, smelling, and picking the fruit. Dopamine is released into the reward center of the brain, which brings about a feeling of happiness and mild euphoria. This release can also help to build an increased desire and motivation to continue gardening. So, if you think of how it may be difficult to start this process and stay motivated, know that once you harvest your first fruit or cut your first bunch of flowers, you will likely feel more natural motivation to continue!

About the Author

Cindy Zabinski, LMHC, LCMHC, CRC, ACS, is the founder and owner of Healing & Growth Counseling. Cindy enjoys working with clients to implement self-care practices that enhance the work that they are doing in therapy. Gardening is an activity that many of her clients have incorporated into their daily lives, and it is a hobby that Cindy herself enjoys in her time outside of work. She is especially excited to see her peonies bloom this year!

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