Reduce stress by mowing the lawn – true story!

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Melissa - General Lawn Turf Blogs

Had a rough week? Stressing? Feeling a bit on the anxious side? Did you know that mowing the lawn can help?

We all know that mowing the lawn gives us a sense of job satisfaction but a study by UQ (University of Queensland) has found that the scent of freshly cut grass can reduce anxiety levels. As Nick Lavidis, a researcher at the UQ School of Biomedical Science, explains, ‘Smells or odours can have a very powerful effect on humans. The smell of green, leafy grass produces a calming effect that allows you to think more logically. Purely by the smell you can be more relaxed and, thus, behave in a calmer way.’

Further, the study shows that the smell of mowed grass can assist in the reductions of anxiety and stress, act as a relaxant, and may even protect sensitive nerve endings from additional damage caused by stress. So mowing the lawn is good for your lawn and good for you too.

Researchers have also tested the smell of cut grass on animals which have never been exposed to nature and they displayed a calming response too. So there has to be something more to it than just memory or association with childhood or less stressful times in our lives.

So the next time things are getting a bit much to deal with, get out the mower and reduce your stress in a natural way. Might even be worth getting any hyper kids outside to play on the freshly cut lawn – just might calm them down before bedtime. It’s just another reason to love the Aussie institution of the backyard.

Need a new lawn to mow in order to reduce your stress and anxiety? Contact the team at Harden Park Lawns.