Surprising Mental Health Benefits of Beekeeping

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The benefits of beekeeping have been well documented over the years: it helps local economies, teaches us the value of nature, and can provide a sense of community and connection. 

Did you know that beekeeping has therapeutic benefits too?

I didn’t know this when I first started beekeeping and I didn’t really clue into what was happening at first. I simply noticed that I was really enthusiastic about this new activity in a way I had never been before. And then I noticed that I wanted to spend more time just watching the bees. I could usually be found just hanging out at the hives watching the bee traffic, it was relaxing and sort of hypnotizing. I started making more time to take walks so that I could see where the bees were foraging. After doing hive checks I always felt calmer and less anxious and chalked it up to simply doing something I enjoyed. Finally, however, I discovered that it wasn’t just me and that there’s actually some science to this transformation. I was receiving the mental health benefits of beekeeping!

There wasn’t much mention of this in the bee books, but I managed to find some explanations for this newly discovered wealth of wellness. As it turns out many studies have been done on the connection of beekeeping and mental health and here are just some of the surprising mental health benefits of keeping bees.

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1. Connection with Nature

Numerous studies have been done that show how important it is for our brains and bodies to get out in nature. Some studies have shown that people who are exposed to nature have less activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain which has a significant role in emotional regulation. This study Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence found evidence for improved cognitive function, blood pressure, immune function, cardiovascular disease, mental health and sleep. 

Beekeeping naturally takes you outdoors, gets you moving around and literally in touch with a very important part of nature. Even if you’re not ready to suit up yet, spending time in green spaces and watching how the bees interact with flowers and the environment can be uplifting as you focus on something other than the worrying or anxious thoughts that are swirling around in your head. Even the smell of the hive and the hum from the hive can be calming and satisfying. 

Image by Thomas Völcker from Pixabay

2. Improved Brain Health

Learning new things keeps your brain active, healthy and improves brain plasticity which means that your neural networks are able to change and rewire. New experiences allow the brain to learn new things which help it to build new connections, enhance existing capabilities and improve overall brain health. 

If there is something that requires you to always be learning it’s beekeeping. Ask any beekeeper and they’ll confirm that just when you think you know what to expect, the bees decide to do something that isn’t in the books which means you get to learn something new. Plus, it pushes you to problem solve and analyze which puts various parts of your brain in motion creating more stimulation to grow.

There’s likely to be a new experience each time you open your hive that will put your brain in gear to observe, learn, and grow. Once you start learning new skills like beekeeping, who knows what else you’ll be capable of learning.

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3. Lower Stress and Anxiety

“Beekeeping is a relaxing activity.” isn’t a sentence that you’d expect to be true. But it is. 

How is it possible? 

Because it requires you to be present in what you are doing and to be mindful of your actions. Picking up a frame covered with hundreds of bees on it requires your full attention. And when you focus your attention on what you are doing, seeing, hearing and feeling in the present moment you can tune out other worries and anxiety and create some space in the mind. 

Many studies have been done with veterans and trauma survivors who overwhelmingly report a sense of calm after beekeeping that allows them to think more clearly. In fact some of the participants who’ve taken part in the Beekeeping For Veterans program report that they are finally able to slow down and actually hear their own thoughts. They also report that the sound of the buzzing bees is relaxing and the activity helps them focus on something outside themselves. People feel a sense of calm and peace just from watching the bees go from flower to flower or go in and out of the hive. Many also report feeling a stronger sense of connection; not only to nature but with fellow beekeepers too. 

People who start keeping bees also report that they feel excited about something again. For all of its quiet and contemplative aspects, beekeeping is also full of intricacies and avenues to explore. Being enthusiastic about something also boosts our mental wellbeing and could help counter depressive thoughts and tendencies. 

Beekeeping can be a healthy distraction for people working to overcome anxiety, depression and other symptoms of PTSD.

Photo by Cristina Marin on Unsplash

4. Your Honey Harvest

Harvesting a bit of honey is surely great for your self-esteem and happiness level. And the feeling of sharing it with your friends and family gives you a great feeling of pride and accomplishment. 

Aside from those connections with mental health there’s another, more technical one:  different properties in honey have been shown to improve cognitive and memory function and have neuroprotective effects too.

The antioxidative effects of the enzymes in honey have been shown to have a positive and protective effect on parts of the brain responsible for cognitive function. One substance in particular called pinocembrin (found in honey and propolis) was found to have antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Pinocembrin reduces oxidative stress in subjects and oxidative stress has been shown to be a factor in various mental ailments including depression and anxiety.

Other studies have shown that polyphenols found in honey have a protective effect on the nervous system and can enhance memory function. 

Of course, there’s the simple fact that fresh honey tastes delicious. Which brings us back to honey’s innate ability to increase your overall level of happiness and good feeling. 

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5. Increased self-esteem

I don’t have any hard data for this one, so you’ll just have to follow me for a minute. I’ve only got my own evidence to go on, but I’m ready to make the claim right here and now that beekeeping can increase your self-esteem. 

First off, beekeeping requires you to learn something new, and it takes courage to set out on any kind of learning journey. Taking that first step to try something totally new is an achievement in and of itself.

If you’re in a mental space where you have a hard time finding the energy to do anything, having the responsibility of caring for a living thing other than yourself can give you a sense of purpose which leads to feelings of self worth. 

Developing your skills in caring for bees leads to a sense of achievement. While being proud of something that you’ve accomplished is a great feeling that allows you to expand your self-esteem too.

Learning how to pick back up or regroup after a difficult season or after something doesn’t go well, helps to build resilience. Using your knowledge to analyze what happened and to find a way to keep moving forward is, in my opinion, a sign of self-growth and therefore contributes to self-esteem. 

I can tell you from personal experience how keeping bees has improved my self-esteem. Just a few years ago I didn’t know anything about bees, but now I’m able to answer questions and teach the basics to other people. 

The mistakes I’ve made along the way and the challenges I’ve faced have made me more resilient too. Instead of panicking and worrying about making the wrong decision I can now tap into a newfound source of calmly thinking things through and knowing that I’ll be able to handle the outcomes. Now, whenever I visit my bee field I always take a moment to look at what I’ve created and I let myself feel happy and proud of what I’ve accomplished so far and inspired by how much more there is to discover. 

Being in nature is a simple and effective way to give a positive boost to your mental well-being. Beekeeping is unique in that it allows us to become part of a community and contribute to a greater purpose. By learning to understand and care for bees, which are so vital to the whole ecosystem, we not only find solace in nature but also become stewards of it. The act of caring something beyond ourselves reinforces the connection between our well-being and the natural world. Ultimately, beekeeping reminds us that we are an integral part of nature too, nurturing both our mental health and the broader ecosystem."