How to Relieve Stress - With Gardening

Many of us garden because we want to grow our own fruits and vegetables. An attractive landscape or curb appeal may be the goal of others. But gardening, no matter what kind, can also be therapeutic. For many people gardening relaxes the mind, body and spirit. Actually, it is not gardening that's relaxing, but the way that we approach it. If gardening is seen as a chore, it's stressful. If we view it as enjoyable, it can help relieve stress.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Focusing on your gardening task is the key to relieving stress. Digging, chopping, and pounding motions can relieve stress and tension. Strenuous activities also provide an outlet for pent up aggression. But strenuous activities are certainly not the only ways to relieve stress in your garden. Something as simple as a walk around the garden may be just what the doctor ordered. When you take your walk, be sure to absorb all the colors, fragrances and designs in the garden. You can also admire your gardening skills and this is sure to reverse the stress into a state of well being.

Here are some pointers for stress-free gardening:

1. Make a short "to do" list and stick to it. Don't try to do everything in one afternoon, evening, or weekend because this is sure to manifest as stress.  Attack garden chores with the same vigor as weight-lifting, running, or swimming - or any other activity that you enjoy.

2. Stop what you're doing and rest periodically, reviving yourself with some stretching and plenty of fluids, as you relax and survey the results of your efforts. Listening to music while gardening can add a pleasurable environment with the calming effect of your favorite tunes. And teach your children how to garden. Not only will they be learning a lifelong skill but will cherish the time spent with you.

3. Stress is at an all time high in the society we live in today and is the root cause of many diseases and chronic illnesses. Learn how to quite your mind and tune out the noise by having brief moments of internal silence.  If you don't have the yard or space to denote your own gardening skills, volunteer!  There are many places that have horticultural therapy programs that are in need of volunteers.  Schools, day cares, nursing homes and hospitals are great places to start looking to volunteer.

(Photo credit: RaeAllen)

Gardening has many other advantages, too. Growing your own produce supplies you with fresh fruit and vegetables for your summer meals. This is always too a great avenue to share the harvest with friends and family.  What's better than home grown tomatoes from your own garden? Being out in the sun in limited amounts of time gardening also supplies you with vitamin D.  Sunshine brightens your spirits and will give you that sun kissed glow.  (Remember moderation is key when being out in the sun.)

4. Garden safely. Gardening usually requires a lot of bending and lifting. Doing it the wrong way can put a lot of strain on your lower back so a good technique for planting or weeding is to squat. Put one knee on the ground rather than bending at the waist, switching knees every few minutes. Kneel on a small pillow or purchase knee pads which you can buy at a department store, hardware store, or gardening shop.   Also use caution when lifting shrubs or bags of soil or waste. Try to keep your back straight and bend at your knees.  Use your legs instead of your back to lift the weight. Be careful not to twist your body and if something is too heavy to lift then wait on help.

Gardening is an excellent way to relieve stress for all ages but remember to do it safely and take breaks when you need to.  When you see all you have accomplished, you can feel proud of your efforts, and your beautiful garden that results. Gardening can become not only a stress reliever but a fulfilling hobby to share with your friends and family.

Using Gardening to Get in Shape?

While gardening is usually thought of as a productive way to grow beautiful plants and obtain tasty fruits and vegetables, many people haven't considered the immense amounts of exercise one can get in the process of gardening. While you can get almost as much muscle (if not more) exercise as you do working out, it is very productive at the same time.

Image via WikipediaYou may wonder how gardening could possibly give you as much exercise as working out. Just think about all the various facets of preparing a garden. There are holes to be dug, bags and pots to be carried, and weeds to be pulled. Doing all of these things help to work out almost every group of muscles in your body.

I have a friend who is a fanatic about working out. Almost every time I call his house, I end up interrupting some muscle toning activity. I’ve never really enjoyed working out, though, as it seems that the constant lifting of heavy things just puts a strain on my body with no immediate positive results. But while he is into working out, I am almost equally enthusiastic about gardening. I work outside improving my garden almost every day, and it's improving my body, too!

Before you go out to work in your garden, you should always stretch out. Even if your goal isn’t to work out and get exercise, it’s still a good idea. Often gardeners spend long periods of time hunched over or bent over. This can be bad for your back. So not only should you stretch out beforehand, but you should also take frequent breaks if you’re spending long amounts of time in these positions.

Weeding and pruning are some of the best workouts a gardener can get. With the constant crouching and standing, the legs get a great workout. If your weeds are particularly resistant, your arms will become toned just from the effort required to remove them from the ground. If you plan on taking the whole workout thing very seriously, you should always be switching arms and positions to spread out the work between different areas of your body.

One of the most obvious ways to get exercise is in the transporting and lifting of bags and pots. Between the nursery and your house, you will have to move the bags multiple times (to the checkout, to your car, to your garden, and then spreading them out accordingly). As long as you remember to lift with your legs and not your back, transporting bags and pots can give you a fairly good workout, even though you probably don’t make those purchases very often.

Image via WikipediaMowing your grass can also be great exercise. If you’ve got an older mower that isn’t self propelled, just the act of pushing it through the grass will give you more of a workout than going to the gym for a few hours. During the course of mowing the grass, you use your chest, arms, back, and shoulders to keep the mower ahead of you. Your thighs and butt also get worked a lot to propel the mower. Not only do you get an all around muscle work out, but it can improve your heart’s health. It’s good for you as a cardiovascular activity, as well as a great way to lose weight due to the increased heart rate and heavy breathing.

If you plan on using gardening as a way to get in shape or lose some weight, you can hardly go wrong. Just be sure to stretch out, drink plenty of water, and avoid spending too long in the hot sun. As long as you take steps to prevent the few negative effects such as pulled muscles, dehydration and sunburn, I think you’ll have a great garden and end up being a healthier person with a more fit body because of it.

 

Related Articles on Gardening for Exercise:

• How to turn gardening into a workout (theglobeandmail.com)
• Gardening goodness - how to exercise while gardening? (telegraph.co.uk)
• Cultivating Wellness - How Does Your Garden Grow? (hofholistichealingcenters.wordpress.com)
• Wait - That's Exercise, Too? (sixuntilme.com)