Gardening is fruitful, but did you know it has amazing emotional benefits as well? You don't need to be a professional gardener to reap all the benefits, especially the emotional ones.
You can get joy, calm, and connection with nature; you don't need to plant an orchard. All it takes is a small backyard garden.
For older adults, gardening is more than a hobby. Research shows that gardening lifts mood and reduces stress. It's especially beneficial for seniors.
You don't even need hours of heavy digging either; small, regular moments in the garden can make a big difference.
Let’s walk through the emotional benefits of gardening and how you can make it part of your daily rhythm.
Why Gardening Helps Emotionally
Think of gardening as nature’s therapy; when you’re outside tending to plants, your lungs can take in fresh air, your senses are awake, and your hands are busy.
It’s a perfect way to engage your body and mind in a productive activity that pushes you closer to nature. Here’s a quick overview of why and how gardening helps you emotionally:
- Exposure to nature tends to calm the nervous system
- Light exercise improves your mood by releasing endorphins
- It’s a purposeful activity, boosting your inner satisfaction
- If you get social, your loneliness reduces
- Gardening keeps your brain engaged and alert, improving sensory stimulation
Key Emotional Benefits of Gardening for the Elderly
Let’s now get into the details of the key emotional benefits you get from this rewarding outdoor activity, especially if you’re an elder.
Lowers Depression and Anxiety
If you’re suffering from low mood or anxious thoughts, gardening can be a perfect antidote. It involves simple, repetitive actions that make you feel calm, like watering the soil, pulling weeds, and planting seeds.
As you make gardening a routine, these calming and rewarding activities may lift your mood and reduce the stress hormone, cortisol.
Here’s a practical tip: Aim for short 15 - 30 minutes of gardening each day. Consistency is key; it could be as small as watering flowers or trimming a plant.
Increases Sense of Purpose and Achievement
When you’re over 60, it’s easy to feel that your productive years are behind you, but it doesn’t have to be your reality.
You see, even a single tomato plant can change your perspective. It gives you a sense of accomplishment to watch something grow and thrive under your care.
To keep that sense of achievement alive, consider keeping a small notebook and recording your planting routine.
Reduces Loneliness and Builds Social Connection
Getting more social is a great way to reduce loneliness and feel better. A gardening session is a perfect socializing event.
Whether it’s a friendly chat with a neighbor or joining a community garden, the activity opens up a door to human-to-human connection.
If you don’t have your own yard, check for local community gardens or senior centers with shared spaces.
Lowers Stress and Improves Sleep
Simply being around greenery can help your body relax. Even a short outdoor session in nature can help you feel less stressed.
And when your stress is lowered during the day, you feel more relaxed later at night, making it easier to fall asleep and stay rested.
Engages the Senses and Supports Memory
Gardening stimulates almost all your senses; think about the feel of the soil and the bright colors of flowers.
This can be especially helpful for elderly people with memory issues or those who have dementia; gardening can be soothing and even spark old memories.
These were a few key benefits of gardening for the elderly. As you start spending time in nature, tending to plants, you may start noticing more of them.
Let’s now talk about how much of it is enough to make you experience the emotional benefits.
How Much Gardening is Enough?
You don’t need to spend hours; about 2.5 hours a week of gardening is more than enough to help your mental well-being.
That means you just need to take out 20 - 30 minutes a day, spread out over the week.
Here’s a simple plan to help you out:
- Monday: Water plants (15 minutes)
- Wednesday: Light pruning or deadheading (20 minutes)
- Friday: Planting or re-potting (30 minutes)
- Sunday: Harvest herbs or vegetables (30 minutes)
Making Gardening Safe and Easy
Gardening should make you feel safe and joyful; it shouldn’t feel like a chore. Here’s how you make it safe and easy:
- Use raised beds or containers to avoid bending
- Choose long-handled or lightweight tools
- Place a sturdy chair or bench nearby for breaks
- Work during cooler parts of your day to avoid heat
These small adjustments can make gardening more comfortable, especially if you have arthritis or mobility issues.
Questions You Might Have
Am I Too Old to Start Gardening?
Not at all. You don’t need a lot of physical strength or youth to reap the benefits of gardening. You just need a little bit of guidance, patience, and willingness to try. You can start light with container plants, herbs, or small raised beds.
What If I Don’t Have a Yard?
Having a yard isn’t a necessity for gardening. You can garden in window boxes and balconies as well. If you want more space, consider joining a community garden; it’ll also help you socialize with other gardeners.
Can I Garden with Mobility Issues?
Yes, small adjustments like using raised beds and long-handled tools can minimize or eliminate strain on your back and joints. Chair gardening allows you to take care of your plants while seated.
How Quickly Will I Feel Better?
Gardening is a hobby; to reap the maximum emotional benefits, you need to stay consistent with it. While every person is different, you can expect to see mood improvements within just a few days of regular gardening.
Conclusion
Gardening is one of the best ways to create a connection with nature, feel better, stay active, reduce your stress, and build social connections.
It’s also not just about strength or stamina, and there are ways to make it even easier and more beneficial for your mind and body.
If you do it right, each seed planted, each flower watered, can be a step toward more peace, calm, and purpose in your days.
So try spending at least 15 minutes with your plants each day. You’ll most likely walk back inside a little lighter, calmer, and happier.
Read More: Best Gardening Tools for the Elderly