Gardening Has Just Become Your Newest Stress Reliever

The idea of having to go outside and plant for the last few days did not make me the happiest student. I have to be honest, the simple thought of all the bugs flying around my face, my shoes getting muddy, and me being cold due to the miserable spring we had discouraged me in the morning before going to my first period class. I was interested in doing something else besides loads of work but gardening had never really been my thing. It's mainly because I don't like having my hands in direct contact with dirt or even being around that kind of environment. Needless to say, I put in effort where I could by doing something simple because every bit of input helps, right? I helped Ms. Eckert plant germinated morning glory seeds and I think that had been my first time actually using a shovel to dig through dirt for planting. I know that might sound crazy. I had to actually touch the soil when picking out the seeds from the cup and putting them into it. In addition, I attempted (and I say attempted because this completely failed) to dig a hole for the plant but unfortunately, the use of a spade did not get me very far.

I say all of this to say that even though my initial approach to planting was quite negative in the beginning, I began to enjoy being out there and working with the shovel and dirt especially at the point of leveling out the bed and digging to make it even. It put me in a good mood which helped my life significantly especially with the stress of finals coming up. But why did this happen?

Did you know that gardening has been known to uplift people's moods and cure depression? Start digging, get a little dirty because "dirt don't hurt", and harvest your own food. Your natural chemicals that produce feelings of pleasure and happiness will kick in keeping depression at bay.

My mood when learning I had to garden. Photo credit here

The two chemicals that are most important for keeping us happy are serotonin and dopamine and they are affected by our environment. Serotonin levels are increased when dealing with soil because contact with a bacteria known as Mycobacterium vaccae that is found in soil triggers the brain to release the chemical. With a lot of serotonin, you are bound to feel happy and less prone to sadness so with lack of serotonin in your brain, depression is caused. Now with dopamine, the chemical is released in the brain when harvesting plants and fruits. According to research that has been found, the simple sight, smell, or touch of picking a fruit from a plant releases a rush of dopamine. Isn't that cool ?!?!... You can have a sudden feeling of bliss and happiness without even trying. Dopamine is a chemical that has been linked to harmful addictions such as drugs because it rewires the brain by releasing and giving off a feeling of sensation whenever a behavior is repeatedly done by a person who enjoys doing it. However, when it comes to gardening, it is okay to continuously crave the beauty of nature and cause tons of serotonin and dopamine to rush through the brain making you feel extremely great.

How I feel after gardening. Photo credit here

I bet that before you read this blog, you did not know that there were antidepressant microbes in soil that are very beneficial to one's health. I was surprised by the thought myself! Gardening is very important overall aside from its effects on people's feelings of happiness and relaxation. Planting your own fruits and vegetables is healthier since it is fresher and you won't have to go out buying it at the grocery store. Also, harvesting your own food is helpful to our environment; an environment which is already suffering from many problems caused by the actions that people living in it are making. Gardening can make you feel good in a sense of just knowing that you accomplished something new. I definitely got out of my comfort zone with these trips to Rand Park and I am proud of that because it's okay to be uncomfortable sometimes; it is the only way I'll experience new things.  Before writing this blog, I was still quite sketchy about the idea of touching dirt with my bare hands and thinking that it can lead to ringworms since that's what I've grown up being told by my mother. However, I now see it in a much more optimistic point of view that I never thought of and I will start gardening more often just for pleasure. 

The dirt that we fear of touching without

knowing that it's really where all the magic

happens.