Science backs my neighbor up. Gardening is also good for the mind and body in ways we might not expect. It can lead to
- Measurable drops in the stress hormone cortisol
- Better mood
- Increased physical activity and energy
- Consuming a healthier diet
- Higher self-esteem
- Possibly greater life satisfaction
- More longevity
When researchers surveyed Taiwanese adults about their attitudes toward horticultural activities, five distinct themes emerged:“increasing positive mood, improving the environment, leisure belief, improving social relationships, and escaping.” That last one is interesting, I think. Far from being seen as a chore or obligation, gardening was a leisure activity, a way to get away from the stresses of everyday life.
Then there’s the dirt itself…
Oh, the lovely, rich soil. Gardeners and grounding enthusiasts, you know what I’m talking about. The sensory pleasure of soft, cool soil crumbling between ungloved fingers. The physical, primordial delight of digging and absorbing oneself in the earth.
In the midst of that dark, nitrogen-esque smell, you’re kicking up some potent Mycobacterium vaccae bacteria, known to stimulate serotonin-releasing neurons in the brain. Dirt, the natural antidepressant—literally. We could all use a little more dirt in our lives, I think.
But That’s Not All
Gardening is a deeply sensory experience, and I think it touches something innate in the human spirit—the need for nature, to be sure, but something else as well. We evolved knowing the land. We developed an intimate connection not with nature as a concept but with the specific land that nurtured and challenged us. Knowledge of our terrain was power—for foraging and survival. When we devote ourselves to gardening, I think we recreate that close association, that intimate understanding of the land, that raw, unsentimental mixing of earth and effort.
It’s an endeavor so different from our everyday lives in this age. An escape, indeed.
