Looking for a new way to help reduce your stress? Research indicates that spending time in the soil, and nurturing vegetation through gardening can help reduce stress levels over time.

Some benefits of gardening include…

• feeling connected to nature and living organisms
• the opportunity to serve as a nurturer
• a boost in levels of serotonin and Vitamin D due to sunlight exposure
• encouraging the cultivation of patience during uncertainty and change, as well as gratitude during times of growth and harvest

In some seasons, plants flourish and produce a bountiful harvest. In other seasons, drought, weed invasion, or lack of sunlight results in loss. Similarly, as humans, we go through seasons of life of both feast and famine, growth and loss.

Gardening reminds us that health is not guaranteed and that at times, our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health can benefit from a change in soil. Just as a plant grows best in the appropriate soil and amount of sunlight, so too do we need to nourish our body, mind, and soul in order to thrive.

To learn more, check out these articles regarding the health benefits of gardening and how you can become involved in local community gardening.

Mary Anne Short, MA