Stress Management #1 - Get Dirty

I didn’t set out to become a gardener. In fact, I blame my neighbour. During lockdown when the world went oddly still, she would be out there tending to the little square of green we all shared — pruning, watering and nurturing this little patch of the earth. Occasionally, she would rope me in and ask “would you mind watering while I am away in Pembrokeshire?” Handing me the hose and a look that said don’t you dare let my begonias die.

Somewhere between those watering sessions and the huge terracotta pots she gifted me (“fill them with something cheerful!”), something happened to my psyche. I had always loved plants, my mum’s house is filled greenery and her garden is lush, but this was different. This was me, hands deep in soil, shoulders unclenched and mind quietly humming instead of spinning.

Fast forward five years and I finally have a garden of my own to tend to. A patch to plan, plant and potter in. The thrill of seeing the first green shoots poke through never gets old, it’s such a mood booster! There’s something great about watching things grow, change and occasionally die despite your best efforts …I’m looking at you carrots, we had a good(ish) run.

It turns out, it’s not just me. Research shows that gardening is powerful medicine for the brain and mood. A recent review published by the American Psychological Association highlighted how gardening reduces stress, boosts cognitive function and improves sleep quality. Another study found that community gardeners report higher levels of happiness, optimism and life satisfaction than non-gardeners. Even brief contact with soil triggers the release of something called Mycobacterium vaccae. It is a friendly microbe linked to increased serotonin production - nature’s own antidepressant right there under your fingernails. And then there’s the sensory therapy: the rustle of leaves, the smell of damp soil and the feel of cool air as you dig.

When in the garden you’re in a full-body mindfulness practice without needing to sit cross-legged or download an app. It’s stress management in disguise. I will be honest, I don’t step into the garden thinking “I’m off to regulate my nervous system.” I go because I need to plant those bloody bulbs I felt so inclined to spend £20 on in B&Q, but subconsciously I think I crave to get away from screens. My phone is too new to touch with muddy hands and it feels good to do something that doesn’t beep, ping or demand a password. But that break and the disconnection, is precisely what so many of us are missing. Gardening forces stillness in motion. It slows time down to the pace of the seasons. It gives you a sense of purpose that isn’t measured in emails or notifications. It also offers one of the best stress management techniques ...presence.

In psychological terms, that’s called a flow state. It’s when you are so absorbed in a task that time disappears. Studies show that flow reduces anxiety, lowers cortisol and boosts feelings of calm and competence. Gardening just happens to be one of the easiest, most joyful ways to find it. Although gardening is not for everyone, the evidence is clear that spending time in nature in almost any form can reduce stress and improve wellbeing. So if you don’t have a garden, go for a walk in the park, plant herbs on a windowsill or tend to something that brings you that same sense of focus and enjoyment.

The key is to find something (anything!) that helps you switch off the noise and reconnect with yourself. Something that gets you in the zone. Something that doesn’t involve Wi-Fi. Now, if you will excuse me, my dahlias need deadheading and I think that counts as therapy.