Beyond seeing your hard work pay off, studies have shown that horticulture can actually assist with mental health. NASA studies have shown that plants improve air quality (albeit, you need A LOT of plants in your space in order to benefit). Better self-esteem. Gardening and growing produce is a simple way to encourage children and adults to get the nutrients they need for physical and mental health. Here’s how it works. Higher intellect. Gardening and Mental Health: A Brief Overview. Fewer symptoms of dementia. The physical element of gardening improves your physical health (which in turn improves mental health), and releases mood-enhancing endorphins. Granted, this tends to be a mental health benefit that applies mainly to the person keeping the plants, rather than just anyone in the area. Not only do you get to experience horticulture all year ’round, but you get to grow your own food, which can be an incredibly rewarding experience. You can also check the Complete Guide to Grow Cactus Plats and Benefits. They reduce carbon dioxide levels, increase humidity, reduce certain pollutants, keep air … 8. March 2019; 37(1). It can help you learn to look after and respect other livings, while helping you create a stronger bond with nature. 2015.) These plants are ideal for keeping the energy, air, and atmosphere in your home ideal for mental health. Cactus. Higher levels of creativity. 5 Working much like a natural antidepressant, quercetin can increase the amount of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain. Placing house plants in an office doesn’t just reduce the amount of sickness, but also increase output and productivity. Science has proven that plants improve concentration, productivity, and even sleep quality. In addition, for growers of indoor plants and business owners of retail plant companies, the field of mental health for office workers could open up a new avenue of a promising market. This plant purifies our home of airborne toxins like formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene and xylene, which can impact both our physical and mental health. 5. Take part in our research. Foods with high levels of quercetin include apples, kale, berries, grapes, onion, and green tea. Source: Admiral_Lebioda/Pixabay, used with permission, How Narcissists Keep Their Mates From Leaving or Cheating, A Science-Based Technique for Coping With Stress, Psychology Today © 2020 Sussex Publishers, LLC. It’s something that’s kind of lost in this day and age, but research has proven that it can heavily impact your stress levels. Compared to those who walked through a well-trafficked urban area, participants in several studies who walked through a green space or a natural environment, such as an arboretum, were better able to focus and concentrate on a test of their working memory. Beyond seeing your hard work pay off, studies have shown that horticulture can actually assist with mental health. they support fitness and general health). Let us know in the comments section! 3. Adults will have more focus on their work and college tasks, while children find it easier to learn the basics. Similar to the previous point, gardening helps you focus your attention on something else other than yourself. Hall C and Knuth M. An update of the literature supporting the well-being benefits of plants: A review of the emotional and mental health benefits of plants. Indoor plants increase the comfort levels in rooms and decrease the risk of getting sick. Stronger memory retention. If you’re looking for an anxiety house plant that is magical, peperomia obtusfolia is it. In particular, the bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae has shown that it can activate neurons that promote the creation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood. 9. If you’re looking for a way to unwind, starting up a houseplant hobby is a great option. Group gardening is also another option that you can partake in, which will encourage you to meet new people—another factor that can help you feel connected and less alone. Effects of Growing Plants and Mental Health Many people share the benefits of plants to their mental health. 3. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety or just the stress of everyday life, there are several ways that caring for plants can help you relax. We know that flowers can make you feel great and there’s also evidence that gardening itself can be good for your mental health. So, the more you inhale and have physical contact with this bacteria, the more positive effects you’ll experience. Researchers repeatedly report increases in subjects' mood, fewer incidents of depressive symptoms, as well as increased memory span and decreased symptoms of anxiety after a walk in nature, as compared to a walk through an urban environment. Mindfulness is the idea of being present, and focusing one’s attention to experiences that are occurring in this very moment. Improved symptoms of attention-deficient disorders (ADD/ADHD). Symptoms of depression were most significantly reduced in the arboretum group, who also experienced 20% to 30% higher rates of complete remission when compared to a typically medicated group. ... Griffiths explains why a seismic shift in attitudes is occuring as ever-more evidence shows how important gardens and plants are for our physical, mental, and social wellbeing. It may seem dirty and the smell may not be the bet, but soil has shown to create similar effects on one’s brain as antidepressants. Susan McQuillan MS, RDN, is a food, health, and lifestyle writer. 7. Specifically, the researchers found that people who surround themselves with plant life and other forms of natural beauty, indoors and out, experience emotional and mental health benefits that have a positive impact on their social, psychological, physical, cognitive, environmental, and spiritual well-being, These benefits include: 1. Having mindfulness can help prevent anxiety, depression risk, help with insomnia, and boost productivity. “Students who spent most of their time at home during the COVID-19 epidemic experienced better mental health when exposed to higher greenery,” the study concluded. Cultivating plants also improves their mental states and helps to put them in a better place for recovering. These benefits include improvement in attention, lowered stress levels, and reduction of pain. Horticulture can also help those with a range of mental health problems, including individuals suffering from PTSD, improving mood and sociability. Both adults and children will gain benefits by having plants in the home. Exercise is a common recommendation to combat depression, and gardening can be a substitute for a trip to the gym. 6. Studies of both veterans and victims of natural disasters who participated in horticultural therapies or nature-based rehabilitation programs found that both groups were better able to control symptoms of PTSD and developed more positive states of mind. This is due to the fact that soil contains “good” bacteria that’s often found in soil, and this can alter parts of your brain, promoting positive moods. Why or why not? Featuring a wide variety of seeds for you to grow, it’s a great alternative to outdoor gardening. However, doing your own gardening can have the same effects on your mental health. Three Surprising Ways Nature Leads to Success and Joy, Working from Home: How to Optimize Productivity and Well-Being, You Never Get Lost In This Ancient Exercise. Read on to learn more about growing plants and mental health. 11. Interacting with nature around puts the mind more in touch with the community, Hall said. The 7 Levels of "Truthiness", COVID-19’s Ripple Effect on Mental Health and Addiction, How Marriage Affects Health in Older Adults. This Plant is also found to reduce the chances of headaches and boost your mental health. The study asked students about four types of greenery: houseplants, outdoor greenery visible from inside the home, a home garden and green spaces in their neighbourhood. The phytochemical quercetin, found only in plant foods, acts as an MAO inhibitor. How Much Are You Willing to Sacrifice for Your Relationship? Gardening can promote this as it forces you to focus on your senses as you repot plants or tend to one of your favorite succulent; it can be a very restorative experience. 4. Aside from the fact that plants provide oxygen and a fresher atmosphere, they are also good for our mental and emotional well-being. Higher productivity and improved concentration in schools and workplaces. Gardening has shown to keep our minds active, challenging us with specific brain functions that include problem solving, sensory awareness, and learning. 10. They can also add humidity to their air, saving you from dry winters. The Power of Plants for Better Health: Mental Wellbeing Gardening and spend in time with nature has the power to improve mental health. Why wait for someone to present you with flowers, when you could grow your own? Studies reflect gardening’s many benefits, especially in dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. Exposure to natural settings helps improve the human perceptions of emotional, psychological, and social benefits. Why are so many people drawn to conspiracy theories in times of crisis? And research has also shown that greenery could have a beneficial impact on mental health. Tapanese practice of ‘forest bathing’ (shinrin-yoku) is a testament to that. The improved psychological well-being of those who interact with nature has been shown in numerous studies to result in greater feelings of positivity and hopefulness, comfort and relaxation and general overall happiness and satisfaction with life. It helps us keep connected with living things Just about everything, according to an extensive review of the scientific literature supporting the benefits of exposure to natural settings. Can You Tell Fact from Fiction? Some participants who avoided animal products were able to reduce or eliminate the use of diabetes medication, the review found. Knowing that you are responsible for keeping something alive has a profound effect on how you see others. Indoor plants offer two potential benefits for us: improved psychological (mental) well-being and improved physical human health (i.e. According to a recent survey by Arboretum, 42 per cent of … 5. Indoor gardening has many of the same effects; being surrounded by green plants inside can improve mood, and tending them alleviates symptoms of … Salingaros, Nikos. https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Biophilia-Healing-Environments-Salingaros-p.pdf. Reduced symptoms of depression. Taking care of a plant requires a certain degree of mindfulness and attention, but is also forgiving, making it easy to take care of and nurture successfully. Peace Lily can grow in a low light location as well, so you can put it in your bedroom or bathroom. This is the theory operating behind the practice of horticultural therapy, in which patients engage in gardening and plant-based activities as a method for learning and healing from mental illness. 4. ADHD and COVID: Update on Findings and Coping Strategies, Want Your New Year’s Resolutions to Stick? Whether that is through making social connections in the local community garden or taking notice of the little things in a natural space, gardening can have a positive impact on your mental wellbeing. These not only have a healing effect, researchers say, but studies in animals have found that such complex environments also increase brain size and the ability to perform well on tests of intelligence; Dr. Nikos Salingaros of the University of Texas at San Antonio believes the same is true for growing human minds, which are best nourished by exposure to complexity and details. It promotes brain health Soil can act as an antidepressant—really! Plant health. In one study, school children diagnosed with ADHD were better able to concentrate after a walk in a park than their peers who went for a walk in a downtown neighborhood. 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