Gardening & Sleep
The sun has come out from hiding, trees are blooming around us and it makes us all want to spend as much time outside as possible.
Our gardens have almost been asleep over the winter, but have now woken up and are full of vitality and life.
My garden is a complete wilderness, since we have only had it for two years.
The first year we had plans of rewilding it, and the second year we spent just trying to embrace the green jungle with long grass and new tiny trees popping up everywhere in our lawn.This year, we will still try to work with nature but we also want to plan for years to come.
I am dreaming of being able to harvest veggies and fruits in our garden one day, so now all the fun work begins.
So far we only have two old cherry trees, which is perfect - since cherries are my favourites and work wonders for sleep, because of their high amounts of melatonin, Vitamin A and C as well as magnesium.
Gardening is a great way to achieve an all-body workout.
The digging, lifting, watering, or simply walking around will give you a good workout and make your body tired and ready for a good night’s sleep.
Weeding your garden will not only clear your gravel walkways but also your mind from unwanted weeds and has a soothing effect on your soul.
The sun will increase your Vitamin D level and decrease your blood pressure. The light will help you set your natural circadian rhythm and research has shown that gardening has been associated with a lower prevalence of dementia and lower stress.
I love weeding my little driveway at my cottage, for me, it is very therapeutic and makes me happy and satisfied once I see the beautiful result.
Digging along in the soil makes me connect to nature and clears out my head. The physical activity and the fresh air help me sleep better and altogether it makes me become a better version of myself.
So if you’re struggling to sleep at night, go out in your garden (or your friend's garden) plant veggie seeds, dig the borders, pick a beautiful bunch of flowers, enjoy the sky, and reap the rewards of a good night’s sleep.
Even better, turn gardening into a loving family activity and teach your children about where our food comes from.
Invite your friends, brew a big pot of tea, bring some biscuits and make it into a little garden party.
My Next Read.
Why woman grow is a much-needed exploration of why women turn to the earth, as gardeners, growers and custodians.
This book emerged from a deeply rooted desire to share the stories of women who are silenced and overlooked. In doing so, Alice fosters connections with gardeners that unfurl into a tender exploration of women's lives, their gardens and what the ground has offered them, with conversations spanning creation and loss, celebration and grief, power, protest, identity and renaissance.
Wise, curious and sensitive, Why Women Grow follows Alice in her search for answers, with inquisitive fronds reaching and curling around the intimate anecdotes of others.
Alice Vincent delves into what it is that makes women want to garden, uncovering what drives the urge to sow seeds and nurture plants, and by doing so goes on her own journey of discovery - Sunday Times
Beautifully written - Independent
The history of horticulture has often overlooked the contribution made by women, and this book offers a timely antidote - ELLE Decoration