TIME outside is good for our mental and physical wellbeing. It lowers our stress levels, which not only lifts our mood but can also reduce our risk of heart attack or stroke.
After COVID, many people became used to staying inside. In fact, you may have found it hard to get back to doing the things you used to do. For instance, shopping may have been an enjoyable pastime – once.
So, the question to be asked is this: How often do you get out in the garden now? Do you still have a “patch”, or has this gone by the wayside? Have you planted anything recently?
If you are one of those who has missed a walk in the garden and digging in the garden, perhaps now is the time to go outside for an early-morning walk. This walk could be the time to savour the peace and quiet that a garden brings to the human soul. It’s said that time spent outside in the sunshine can improve the overall wellbeing of the older adult, and finding out how this is done is not hard.
But you do have to be a willing participant, you must be willing to acknowledge that you need this, probably a bit like an alcoholic having to acknowledge this before starting on the road to recovery.
Even those of us with restricted mobility need to get out, need that little bit of warmth from the sun’s rays.
The best time to start a walk, is as soon as possible. Simply go out into your garden and just look around.
Remember – a lot of our fellow human beings can’t do this. Autumn is a great time to get out and clear those summer weeds, there’s lots of items one can buy to make your job easier. There’s plenty of mulches and medium to grow your plants, not as many bugs as Summer and some great winter vegetables that can be so easy to grow.
This column often talks about easy things to grow, and I hope you’ve tried some of them. I’ve noticed that a lot of people have gardens, but try to get away with things on the cheap. Ordinary soil instead of a good quality mix’s that allows your plants to thrive. Letting weeds grow in your garden. Not topping up your soil mix, especially if you have an above ground garden.
If you do take care with quality, you will reap the benefits. Fruit or veges will be bigger and fruit much sooner than you thought, or look better than anticipated. One thing is true, if you look after your garden it will look after you. Don’t be concerned about the money, treat it like a hobby.
So go ahead, walk outside with new eyes, see what you have to work with and marvel at the way you will feel after this exercise.
Till next time.
