Health and Well-Blooming: 4 Ways Flowers Boost Your Mental Health

Flowers make for great gifts for any occasion: birthdays, apologies, funerals, get-well wishes, and even just because. But have you ever wondered why flowers make us so happy? It turns out the joy that flowers bring isn’t just because of their incredible beauty or amazing colors.

About 42% of surveyed gardeners said they felt healthy and happy when taking care of their gardens, and 50% said gardening helped them feel calm. This is because plants and flowers influence us on a much deeper level.

Here are some ways that plants and flowers influence our mental health and sense of well-being.

1. They reduce stress and anxiety. According to a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, regularly touching and smelling flowers and plants can help to reduce psychological and physiological stress. Gardening is especially helpful for reducing stress because the microbes in potting soil boost your brain’s serotonin levels, helping you feel calm and happy.
2. They reduce muscle tension. Being around flowers and plants has been found to have positive changes in the brain’s electrical activity, suppressing the autonomic nervous system. This reduces muscle tension and supports heart activity, which ultimately helps to improve your mood.
3. They improve sleep quality. Sleep quality is important when it comes to your overall mood, mental health, and physical health. In fact, those who receive less than six hours of sleep every night are at greater risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Fortunately, flowers and plants can help to improve your sleep quality. This is especially true of one flower in particular: lavender. Lavender is known to help reduce blood pressure and improve your heart rate, which can help you feel calm and restful as you drift off to sleep.
4. They give you a sense of accomplishment. If you’re struggling with self-confidence, one of the best activities you can do is to garden. Eight out of 10 American households participate in some form of gardening. Gardening gives you a sense of responsibility and pride, especially when you see the fruits of your labor bloom into beautiful flowers or turn into awesome vegetables you can eat.

Looking for flowers for gardening this summer? Schwartz Greenhouse has you covered. Whether you’re looking for annuals, perennials, or mums and pumpkins, we have the plants you need to turn your yard into a wonderful piece of art. To learn more about our flowers for gardening or vegetable plants, contact Schwartz Greenhouse today.