Green Therapy: How Caring for Plants Can Improve Your Mental Health

Tending to your plants is a great way to engage in mindfulness.

Looking for a fun and easy way to boost your mood and improve your mental health? Look no further than caring for plants! Not only do plants add a touch of natural beauty to your space, but they can also have a surprisingly positive impact on your overall well-being.

Plants can quickly improve mood. It only takes a few minutes of being around plants that you start feeling better. Studies have found that less than 15-20 minutes is enough to make us feel more at peace. Spending time in a room with a few houseplants will make you feel happier and more satisfied. Tall plants (about five feet) can also make you feel more peaceful and positive compared with other objects.

Not only do plants bring relief in enclosed spaces, but they can also reduce stress. Some studies have shown that interacting with plants suppresses the system in our bodies that gets activated when we sense distress signals. Repotting and transplanting an indoor plant can make you feel a lot less stressed at the end of the task compared to something like a computer-based activity. In one study, blood pressure measurements were much lower among people who handled plants, suggesting that plants have the potential to mellow the body’s fight-or-flight response.

Have you heard of “mindfulness” and didn’t really know what it means or how to engage in it? Consider the time you would spend watering, pruning, and tending and how that requires you to be present and attentive to the needs of your plants, which can help you stay grounded in the moment–basically practicing mindfulness without even trying. Tending to your plants can help you unwind after a long day and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, improving your mental health.

Watching your plants grow and thrive can be incredibly satisfying and provide a sense of accomplishment, which can help boost your self-esteem and confidence. And even when things don't go as planned, like a bug infestation or root rot, caring for plants can be a learning experience that teaches you how to adapt to changing conditions and try again, which can help you build resilience and grow as a plant parent.

So, whether you're a seasoned green thumb or a beginner looking to try something new, caring for plants is a great way to improve your mental health and add a little natural beauty to your life. Seeing a plant in any situation can provide a spark of interest, redirect your attention, and restore your depleted mental and physical resources (an idea known as attention restoration theory). Studies have found that the plant-induced “restoration” effect has a wide reach: renewing positive emotions and increasing productivity, creativity, and attention capacity. So go ahead, get your hands dirty, and watch your plants (and your mental health) flourish!