Mental Stress and Indoor Gardening

With the number of COVID patients rising across different Indian states, we are finding ourselves amidst a lockdown yet again. Few states have already mandated stay-at-home orders, while others are about to follow suit. And this brings us back to the same old quest of keeping us sane during this period of lockdowns.

We have tried many a different thing during last year’s lockdown period. Some of them have stayed with us, and some, well, vanished from our memory. So why don’t we take to a no hobby this year and keep the lockdown blues away?

Creating a green patch in your house…

Yes, we are talking about indoor gardening. Besides instantly boosting a home’s artistic appearance, studies show that being surrounded by such greenery not only helps clean the surrounding air but also creates a sense of well-being for us.

• In a survey conducted by 4 San Francisco Bay Area hospitals, 79 percent of patients said they felt more relaxed and calm, 19 percent felt more positive, and 25 percent felt refreshed and stronger after spending time in an indoor garden.
• Researchers Charles Hall and Melinda Knuth at Texas A&M University published an article in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture that supports the notion that living in or near green spaces. The researcher duo has since opined that spending as much time as possible in both natural settings and cultivated gardens, can improve mood, reduce the negative effects of stress, encourage physical activity and other positive behaviours. It can also improve cognition, reduce aggression, and enhance overall well-being in people of all ages under many different circumstances.
• In another study, the Korean researchers compared the effects of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) performed in a hospital to CBT performed in an arboretum with a forest-like setting. The symptoms of depression were most significantly reduced in the arboretum group, who also experienced 20 percent to 30 percent higher rates of complete remission when compared to a typically medicated group.

Additionally, there are hundreds and thousands of other similar studies that establish a similar connection between mental health and nature. So the question is how we create a personal garden within the confines of our house.

But not all indoor plants bring joy, particularly the high-maintenance ones. So I have jotted down up a list of plants and with a peek into their personalities.

• First up is Aloe vera. Simply because it has so many benefits and is easy to care for. While one can break off the leaves to herbally treat and improve skin wounds (burns, cuts, scars, and inflammation), the plant can also purify the air around us. It’s not the same as an air filter, but it can surely help with detoxing the indoor air from harmful chemicals.
• Lavender makes another great choice in the indoor gardening category. This plant is very easy on the eyes, smells delightful, and is the source of one of the most popular essential oils. Besides, the floral smell is effective at decreasing anxiety and providing a calm atmosphere.
• Another popular choice in this category is Eucalyptus. This popular plant is known not only for its distinct, pleasant aroma, but also for its ability to help treat asthma, colds, and congestion.
• Apart from these three, you can also try snake plants, peace lilies, and different succulents, and money plants as some easy to pot and keep plants.

So when you find yourself stressed the next time, write a prescription of few plants for yourself and bring them home. Trust us, they will do wonders, really they will.