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Heart Disease, Stress, and Sensory Gardens

Sensory gardens can reduce stress, which may improve the health of those with heart disease.



Be aware of stress in your life


Stress can come from a variety of sources. It can arise from both positive and negative events in a person's life. Every person is different, and each person’s body is going to treat stress differently. Regardless of where the stress comes from, however, it may have negative health effects. Chronic stress particularly can be seriously detrimental to health. For that reason, we should all be able to identify stress in our own lives and take action to deal with it positively before it causes us harm.


Stress may lead to poor health – especially heart health


Dealing with stress positively begins with mental health. Poor mental health can lead to poor behaviors such as substance abuse, unhealthy eating habits, and not being physically active. Stress can cause headaches, pains, and lack of sleep.


Ultimately, stress could be the first step in poor health. Our hearts are particularly vulnerable to chronic stress, which occurs over a long period of time. Those with chronic stress are more likely to have high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.


We need to manage our stress


Those with stress (all of us to some extent) need to take steps to manage our stress. Healthy people can manage their stress differently. However, those who manage their stress well tend to do the following:


  • Relax

  • Be positive

  • Be engaged in a hobby

  • Get enough sleep

  • Take time with those they love

  • Exercise

  • Be positive

  • Be grateful


All of these actions have been proven through years of research to help manage stress.


Gardening is a solution


Not surprisingly, many of these healthy habits happen naturally when a person gardens. Gardening can do the following:


  • Give you time in nature to relax

  • Be positive about life–if you plant it, it will grow

  • Is a very engaging hobby for those interested

  • Is a great exercise that manages to reach all the major muscle groups

  • Gets you tired, so you can sleep better

  • Can be done with and for those you love

  • Gives you an opportunity to be grateful for this world and your role in it


Finding peace and relaxation in a sensory garden is a great way to deal with stress. How many things are there that can be so fulfilling as gardening and improving your heart health at the same time?


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