Two phenomenons have gripped us over the last year or so.
The first is the hoards of homeowners sharing photographs of their indoor jungles on platforms like Instagram. The second is the huge number of people picking up old-fashioned hobbies like gardening.
Because as well as being able to enjoy tasty veggies and fragrant flowers, there are tons of other gardening benefits.
Wondering what they are so you can decide whether to dig out your gardening gloves? Read on to find out some of the mental health benefits of having green fingers.
Indoor Plants Improve Air Quality
Let’s start with the benefits of indoor plants. NASA conducted a clean air study back in the 1980s and many studies since have backed up the original claims.
It suggested buying at least one indoor plant for every 100sqm of your home to clean out the air. This is instead of investing in humidifiers and other artificial air filters.
But not all indoor plants have the same air-purifying qualities. Here are some of the best indoor plants to get for your health:
- Snake plants
- Dracaena indoor plants
- Spider plants
- Aloe vera succulent
- Weeping fig tree
- Peace lily indoor plants
- Kimberly queen fern
If you do want to become an indoor plant parent and fill your house with flora, make sure you know how to look after them. And some plants are toxic to pets, so it’s best to steer clear of those if you have cats and/or dogs.
Gardening Reduces Stress and Anxiety
One of the biggest gardening benefits is the effects it has on mental health.
Gardening is most often an outdoor activity. And there are so many proven benefits of spending more time outdoors, which include more vitamin D.
The act of taking care of another living thing will help you gain perspective on your anxiety. And the repetitive, mindless nature of weeding, watering, and turning over the soil is a great stress-reliever. Learning how to grow plants and achieving something is also beneficial for those with depression and low self-esteem.
Green Spaces Help Productivity and Mood
Even being in a community garden, park, or woodland surrounded by trees and blooming flowers is beneficial.
There are many studies that confirm workers and college students work faster when they are in a room with plants. And they have longer attention spans, but only when the plant is real! Workers and students with a view of a park or those who take breaks in nature also have improved wellbeing.
So the gardening benefits are twofold. Not only do you get the benefits from surrounding yourself with plants, but the benefits from the act of gardening too.
Reap These Gardening Benefits
These are only some of the great gardening benefits that you can enjoy, should you choose to start caring for plants. Even if you only have a balcony or a small apartment, begin with a few potted plants and work your way up from there.
Want to read other home and garden articles for tips and tricks? Browse our website for more!
