May is finally here, but rather than enjoying walks in public or meeting friends, we’re isolated from social interaction. Haven’t we all had enough? At this point, the walls of your house might feel like they’re collapsing in on you as you desperately wait for this dreary pandemic to pass.
As humans, we have an innate need to be in nature and feel the freshly-sprung grass after an endless, gray winter. Although your public parks might be inaccessible and, quite frankly, dangerous during this season, time outside is essential for our wellbeing. Thankfully, research has shown that lawn care services provide significant health advantages. We want to help you combat this isolation with 5 mental health benefits from spending thirty minutes in your backyard.
Natural Stress Reliever
Isolation might not allow you to travel far, but imagine taking thirty minutes of today to lounge in the revitalizing sun rays or let your dog run loose. Would it be the freshly-cut grass scent that eases your nerves, or perhaps the warm sunshine? Several studies have found that stress levels are reduced when individuals surround themselves with thriving vegetation such as trees, gardens, and lawns. These peaceful atmospheres soothes many of our core senses: touch, hearing, sight, and smell.
The University of Washington Urban Forestry Department emphasizes that “the experience of nature helps to restore the mind from the mental fatigue of work and studies”. Nature provides a break from “work mode” which allows your brain the chance to repair.
Improves Work Performance
You’re not alone if you’ve been feeling unmotivated while cooped up inside your home. While it might sound tempting, working inside your household is not beneficial. In fact, working in a relaxing home atmosphere can inhibit work performance.
Your home is a place to escape the hustle of your job, but when you work at home, your brain begins to associate your house with “work mode”, which can cause anxiety and stress. Instead of typing away inside, try moving your workspace outside where there are minimal distractions and an energizing ambiance.
Refreshing Scenery
Even your backyard can be an invigorating change of scenery from enclosed, artificial environments such as the office. Just as people decorate their own home interiors to create a comfortable and positive atmosphere, you can do the same to your backyard.
Tending to your gardens and keeping your lawn tidy sets up a pleasant environment aside from your indoor area. A thriving, healthy lawn provides cool ground for your feet and gentle views for the eyes. That’s why at MissionGreen we encourage every family to nurture their lawn with care.
Enhances Your Mood
There’s a reason why the saying “a breath of fresh air” is so popular when talking about relieving, relaxing situations. It’s true! There is nothing better to reset a bad mood than to move yourself to the outdoors.
The first thing that that awakens your senses is the circulation of fresh, oxygen-rich air. Believe it or not, the levels of air pollutants are 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors. The stuffiness of indoor air can lead to headaches, but inhaling air that has been recycled by foliage clears the mind.
Another element that enhances mood is vitamin D from the sun. Did you know that most Americans have insufficient levels of vitamin D due to our indoor desk jobs? This is correlated to concerning levels of depression, so soak up that sun!
Boosts Creativity
The psychological benefits behind how a lush natural environment improves our mental health and performance are also found in the colors of the environment. Researchers are finding that people succeed in creative tests exponentially better if they are exposed to the color green beforehand. Our brains immediately sense a heightening of motivation and desire for self-improvement!
Offices and other indoor spaces don’t offer the same sparks of creativity as a rich, green environment. Opt for a mental boost during your midday break by spending some time gardening, lounging on your patio, or kicking a ball around your lawn with your kids.
You don’t have to wait for restrictions to lift in order to take advantage of the many benefits of nurturing and relaxing in your yard. Right now, MissionGreen Services is thrilled to offer you a rejuvenated, weed-free spring lawn that will be the foundation of a stress-relieving, balanced environment right at home.
Is the view of your lawn outside of your window patchy from the winter or is it thriving and plush like you want it? Let’s revive your lawn to its brightest and healthiest state ever. Get your FREE quote today or call us at 1-413-998-7829 to begin your lawn care journey.
Sources Cited:
Harvard Health Publishing. “A Prescription for Better Health: Go Alfresco.” Harvard Health.
Heid, Markham. “Boost Your Creativity In 2 Seconds.” Prevention, Prevention, 10 June 2019.
“Indoor Air vs. Outdoor Air.” Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas, 28 Mar. 2016.
Penckofer, Sue, et al. “Vitamin D and Depression: Where Is All the Sunshine?” Issues in Mental Health Nursing, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2010.
Wolf, Kathleen. “Mental Health & Function.” Mental Health :: Green Cities: Good Health.
