Gardening To Help Relax Your Mind During Covid

27.May.2021

People around the world have found themselves at junctures between being exposed to unfortunate circumstances wiring all around, and the need to stay calm, stay stable and strong at all times. With the increasing ascension of the global Coronavirus, people are stuck at home in isolation, as all other recreational hubs stay closed, meeting friends or distant family members and spending some fun time with them remain restricted. Situations as such, have led to the onset of various mental health issues for many people and making it even more challenging than things already are for people suffering severely from stress, worries, anxiety, aggression, and depression.

It is, therefore, that people have resorted to finding various ways to relax at home during Covid. Well, that is the least people can do right now. One of the most effective, natural, and unharming ways is gardening. For ages, research and studies have shown that the overall result of all the activities such as planting, watering, and weeding that comes with gardening is- the emergence of life and beauty held together that brings positivity for people involved.

Not to mention, people are catching on to too. Today, people acknowledge that apart from adding to physical well-being, gardening also helps in various ways to improve emotional health. Hence, although it isn’t always viewed as the go-to stress relief activity, perhaps it earns a little more consideration as a stress relief option. So here are a few heads up as to what gardening can do to you:

Gardening brings sunshine to your body

We all need a little sunshine to make our gloomy days better. There are studies that show how more people are affected by seasonal affective disorder during winters when there is little to no sunlight. Meaning, that simply going out in the sunlight can significantly improve your mood. Apart from being a natural source of Vitamin D and nitric oxide (a chemical that lowers blood pressure), sunlight also increases your serotonin and, thus, helps you deal better with anxiety and depression.

Gardening reduces cortisol levels and improves mental health

Cortisol is a chemical that your body produces during stress. According to researchers, chronic stress adds more to anxiety, depression, and various other diseases. Being actively engaged in gardening reduces cortisol levels and thereby, improves mental health. Simply sitting in the garden and breathing some fresh air helps too. That is why several hospitals, schools, offices, and almost every other institution are adding gardens to their infrastructure to help people prevent burnout.

Gardening helps people with therapeutic needs

Gardening offers a wide range of activities for people. Each of the activities, such as watering the plants, creative planting, designing and making planters from different materials, finding innovative ways of gardening, etc. help people think creatively and exercise more. To say the least, these activities and the whole experience help them divert their attention from problems to solutions or simply stave off some heat if not work on solving altogether. In short, be it for people with long-term physical needs or for those trying to recover from emotional exhaustion, gardening can be of great help.

Indoor plants can add beauty to your home and enhance productivity

The best part about gardening is that it doesn’t always have to be outdoors. Many of us may not have the proper space to go all-in for gardening. Hence, you can also opt for indoor plants. Not only do they improve air quality, but, also make you feel more satisfied with the environment, and hence increase productivity. There are several types of plants that are easy to maintain and add beauty to your rooms, as much as any outdoor plants would do. Different varieties of Aeonium, Aglaonema, Areca Palm, Barrel Cactus, and Calathea Roseopicta are the names of a few that you can opt for.

Gardening boosts your immune system

Imagining a boosted immune system from being in the dirt is as challenging as it gets, isn’t it? But guess what? Soil has many friendly microbes, and being exposed to them on a regular basis boosts the immune system by hoisting your resistance to inflammatory diseases. A boosted immune system gives you one less thing to worry about.

So, take your first step, plan how and where you want to place your new plants, and order them right away. Surround yourself with plants and nature and build yourself a safe space to relax and engage in better hobbies during these trying times.