Gardens offer much more than just fabulous curb appeal and opportunities to enhance your DIY skills. Engaging in gardening can also significantly improve your health by immersing you in environments and activities that promote better functioning of both your mind and body. Numerous studies conducted worldwide have directly correlated gardening with an improved quality of life, benefiting people of all ages, from children to seniors, in both urban and rural settings.
Gardening Relieves Stress
In a Dutch study, researchers examined the impact of gardening on cortisol, a natural steroid that aids the body in coping with stress. Surprisingly, they discovered that gardening provided greater stress relief after a stressful event compared to reading. (Don’t worry, though, as the study still confirmed that reading also reduces stress!) Interestingly, home gardeners have reported that the psychological benefits of gardening, such as stress relief, outweigh any cultural or economic aspects, regardless of the type or extent of their gardening activities. Moreover, it’s not just the act of gardening that contributes to these benefits; the bacteria present in the soil may also play a role in combating stress. These same bacteria have been found to exhibit antidepressant properties and support the establishment of a robust immune system as well.
Gardening Counts as Exercise
Engaging in activities such as carrying planters, digging holes, stretching to reach weeds, and pushing the mower can effectively work out every muscle in your body. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, gardening falls under the category of moderate physical activity, burning more than 300 calories per hour, which is roughly equivalent to the calories burned during a round of golf when walking and carrying clubs. If you take on more demanding yard work, like chopping wood or hauling heavy mulch bags, you can even burn more than 400 calories. Moreover, a study suggests that gardening may help counteract age-related weight gain.
Besides burning calories and promoting weight management, gardening offers other tangible physical benefits as well, such as enhancing dexterity and hand strength. And here’s an added bonus: after all the hard work you put into the garden, you’re likely to experience improved sleep quality, contributing to overall well-being. So, in addition to the joy of gardening, you can reap significant physical rewards from maintaining your garden space.
Gardening Hinders Dementia
Gardening offers more than just a physical workout; it also provides significant benefits for your brain, particularly in terms of protection against the onset of dementia. Engaging in gardening activities can actually enhance cognitive function. Remarkably, one study revealed that gardening is associated with a 36% lower risk of dementia, making it a valuable and enjoyable way to promote brain health and well-being.
Gardening Helps Fight Chronic Conditions Like Heart Disease and Diabetes
You’re probably aware that plants require sunlight, but did you know that your body benefits from sunlight as well? Just like other outdoor leisure activities, gardening offers a dual advantage of providing healthy exercise while exposing you to the sun’s rays. Spending a moderate amount of time in the sun is a highly effective way to obtain vitamin D, a vital nutrient that influences more than 1,000 different genes and impacts nearly every tissue in your body. From metabolism to your immune system, vitamin D plays a crucial role in various bodily functions.
Moreover, vitamin D has been linked to positive effects on conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bone health, and depression. Additionally, your gut may also experience the benefits, as vitamin D is believed to aid in regulating gastrointestinal distress. However, it’s essential to be mindful of sun safety and take appropriate precautions while spending time outdoors. Enjoy the benefits of gardening, but remember to protect yourself from excessive sun exposure to maintain a healthy balance.
Gardening Connects People
Gardening serves as a bridge, connecting people to a larger community and effectively combating the detrimental health effects of loneliness. This connection can be as straightforward as engaging with fellow enthusiasts at a local gardening center before delving into one’s home garden or sharing gardening experiences and advice within an online community. However, the impact of gardening goes beyond individual pursuits, particularly in spaces like community gardens, where meaningful social bonds and support networks can flourish.
In urban settings, where many residents may experience feelings of isolation and a lack of social support, community gardens can have an even more profound effect. These spaces become a source of vital interaction and camaraderie. Notably, a study discovered that gardening in such environments also fosters opportunities for enhanced interracial interaction, further promoting social cohesion and understanding. Embracing gardening, whether in personal or communal spaces, has the potential to bring people together, enrich lives, and create a sense of belonging in diverse communities.
Gardening Improves Your Mood and Self-Esteem
Simply immersing yourself in nature can work wonders for your overall well-being, with documented mood-boosting effects. However, actively engaging with nature, particularly through gardening, can amplify these benefits significantly. Gardening has been shown to increase positivity and optimism, making it an effective tool in combating depression and other mental illnesses. The positive outcomes extend to both adults and children with behavioral problems, as spending time in the dirt has been linked to higher self-esteem.
Interestingly, a study examining the emotional well-being associated with various daily activities, such as walking, shopping, and dining out, consistently ranked gardening among the top-five activities for providing happiness and a sense of meaningfulness. Furthermore, the study revealed that women and participants with lower incomes experienced the most pronounced positive effects from engaging in gardening. This highlights the universal appeal and potential accessibility of gardening as a powerful means of enhancing emotional well-being and finding fulfillment in life.
Gardening Helps You Eat a Healthier Diet
Making healthy food choices can be challenging, but gardening can be a helpful solution. By cultivating fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you not only enjoy the pleasure of growing your own food but also gain easy access to nutritious options while having control over the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Additionally, one significant advantage of growing your own vegetables is the increased likelihood of actually consuming them. Research indicates that children are more inclined to eat fruits and vegetables when they are homegrown. Moreover, youth gardening has been associated with an increase in food literacy.
Beyond the nutritional advantages, vegetable gardeners, in particular, experience greater positive emotional impacts compared to those engaged in other types of at-home gardening. The satisfaction of nurturing plants and witnessing the fruits of their labor contributes to a sense of fulfillment and well-being. Gardening, especially when focused on cultivating vegetables, not only promotes healthier eating habits but also brings about a range of emotional and psychological benefits, making it a rewarding and holistic activity for individuals of all ages.