There is a growing evidence (pardon the pun) that connecting with nature does wonders for mental well-being! We explored how being in nature makes us feel in this well being activity.
As much as we know spending time away from the hustle and bustle of daily life is important, it can be really hard to find time to escape to a natural setting. If you’re like me and live closer to a highway than parkland than you know the struggle.
The good news is that we can still get our nature fix from the comfort of our homes. Creating a garden is one of those activities that tick a lot of well-being boxes.
- Spending time in the yard, moving your body around and getting some sun is great for physical well-being. (don’t forget the sunscreen!)
- Studies show that spending 30 minutes gardening each day lowers cortisol levels which is the hormone related to stress. Research also suggests that there’s a healthy bacteria found in soil that can increase serotonin (the happy hormone) when inhaled.
- Gardening with friends or family is a lovely way to connect and being the social creatures we are this is a must. There are often community gardens you can get involved in if you feel like you need to increase your social networks.
- The sense of accomplishment that comes from growing your own veggies or seeing your house plant flourish is amazing. You realise that you have expanded your skill set, learnt a life skill and made your environment lush in the process.
So next time you’re at Woolworth's grab one of those seedling kits or pick up a cheap one from your local nursery. You can even ask a friend to give you a clipping of one of their plants to get you started.
Activity:
Share a gif of your favourite plant/flower!
Have you successfully cared for a plant or garden? How did it feel when you grew your first vegetable/flower/plant?
