How Gardening Actually Improves Both Your Physical and Mental Health
Science has proven that gardening is far more than an activity for your mother and grandmother; it’s actually something that can improve both your physical and mental health. It might be time for you to spend more time in the plant section at your local gardening center as it can help your health more than you know.
If you’ve always been interested in gardening or if you’re looking for a new hobby, consider these amazing benefits of spending more time with your plants.
Prevention of Heart Disease
Gardening isn’t something to take lightly; it can often be a rigorous physical activity that is phenomenal for your heart health. Not only will you be working your arms by planting new flowers, vegetables, and fruits, but you’ll also be exercising your legs with every step.
The more that you’re able to work your arms and your legs, the less likely you are to suffer from blood clots and heart disease.
Working Out…In a Fun Way!
Not everyone has the time or funds to go to a gym on a regular basis, and in fact, a lot of people find the physical stress of working out with weights and with cardio is a little too much to handle. Well, it’s safe to say that although gardening is a great substitute for hitting the gym, it’s also a much safer way to get your body in shape.
The more active you are and the more your entire body is engaged, the healthier you’re going to be. After spending a couple of hours in your garden every day, you can feel like you worked out just as much as you would have in a gym. The best part – less muscle fatigue.
If you develop a passion for gardening, it’s going to seem like less of a chore and more like a fun activity that targets your waistline. As you begin to see progress with the growth of your plants, you’ll also begin to notice a slimmer body. Keep in mind that the majority of gardening is done in the spring and summer, the ideal time for sculpting a perfect summer body.
Better Brain Functioning
In schools, it’s common for teachers to hold some of their classes outdoors because it helps to clear the minds of their students and to focus on tasks. This also applies to adults and gardening. According to Biological Psychiatry, a medicinal journal, being outside in a green space and indulging in fresh air can help to improve your brain functioning.
Though it’s important to remember that although being outside is great for your cognitive health, you also need to take precautions such as wearing sunscreen and hats as well as drinking enough cool water. Fresh air and greenery can work wonders on your mind, but overexposure from the sun can also be dangerous to your overall health.
Stress Relief
There’s nothing more peaceful than being able to spend time with your garden. Without one, you’ll notice stress can completely destroy both your mental and physical health in a variety of ways.
If you’ve ever had a difficult day at work or if you’re going through personal problems you might have noticed you’re experiencing difficulty sleeping, increased irritability, stomachaches, a lack of appetite, and even headaches. These symptoms are all common signs of acute stress. Now imagine if you never had the ability to get rid of your stress and started suffering from chronic symptoms. It could easily lead to heart disease and making pre-existing medical conditions worse.
There’s an interesting study in the Journal of Health Psychology that goes into detail about how gardening is a great stress-reliever. There were two study groups: one group assigned to garden and the other assigned to read when they were stressed. The subjects in the study that participated in gardening found a significant decrease in stress compared to the subjects that were assigned to read.
Financial Relief
As another benefit that can relate directly to stress, growing your own produce is a phenomenal way to keep more money in your bank account. Aside from meat, the most expensive items in a grocery store are fruits and vegetables. Whether you’ve encountered a change in employment or if you’re about to welcome a new addition to the family, it’s important that you consider how gardening can be affordable.
Eating Organic
There are plenty of parties that believe buying fruits and vegetables from traditional grocery stores is safe, and in many cases, it can be. But guess what’s even safer? Growing your own fruits and vegetables to eat throughout the day. There’s nothing quite like picking a ripe tomato right off of your own homegrown vine and tossing it into a salad. There’s no need to worry about pesticides or harmful chemicals in the soil, as you have complete control over what you put on your plants.
Organic produce will always be superior to genetically modified fruits and vegetables that are only going to end up doing more harm than good.
Focusing on Meditation
Aside from reducing your levels of stress, gardening can be a phenomenal way for you to reflect on your day, think about life goals, and inspire yourself to become a better version of who you are today. Meditation is the perfect way to look back on where you have come and to work towards being the person you’ve always wanted to be. You won’t have to worry about engaging in conversation with anyone (plants don’t talk back!) and you can even listen to your favorite tunes while you’re digging in the dirt.
If you’re looking for the perfect solitary and meditative experience, all you have to do is take a quick look into your backyard and start planning where you want your garden to be.
Now that you’re aware of all of the benefits your garden has to offer, you’ll most likely start looking at your plants in a different way. With the ability to reduce stress, improve cognitive functions, and even get more sleep at night, gardening can be the perfect fix for an endless list of problems.
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