Ever wondered why gardening is good for your wellbeing? There are numerous benefits to gardening, from boosting your physical health to improving your mental health. Which ever way you look at it there is no denying that gardening boosts your mood and is good for our wellbeing.
How gardening can improve your physical health
Gardening is a fantastic way to improve muscle strength, physical endurance and flexibility. For example one moment you’re scooping down to pick up some weeds, the next moment you’re digging and finishing it off with carrying all your garden equipment back to the shed.
You don't need the gym to improve your physical health. Gardening strengthens your abdominal muscles as well as your thighs and ankles.
How gardening can improve you general health
The physical exercise is great for the heart reducing your risk of stroke or heart attack. Gardening is a great way to improve your hand strength and dexterity - which can be an issue for older people with arthritis.
Being outside also ensures that you get that all important boost of vitamin D which is an essential vitamin for keeping bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Did you know that gardening can lead to a stronger immune system? When working outdoors you have a greater exposure to soil bacteria which means your gut is happy.
It's clear to see that if you gardening over a sustained period of time it will improve your general health.
How gardening can improve your mental health
- Being outside in nature reduces the stress hormone cortisol which means better sleep and wellbeing. The physical exercise releases endorphins (the feel good hormones) which adds to our improved state of wellbeing.
- Gardening helps you to be more mindful. By focusing on a task in the moment you are practicing mindfulness. The key is to focus on the task in hand and not let your mind wonder onto your worries.
- Being outside means you’re more likely to have in person social interaction which can boost your mood. Making human connections is important for our mental wellbeing.
- Seeing your garden grow has a tremendous impact on your mental wellbeing. When you care and look after something and then you are rewarded with seeing it grow you feel boosted.
Whether it’s a seed planter you have on a window sill in your flat or an allotment, gardening is a great way to get in touch with nature. Due to the rise of remote working more and more of us are glued to our screens, it’s important to be able to take time to be outside. If you embrace in gardening as a pastime you will reap the rewards to your general health, physical health and your mental health.
Gardening and watching something grow will give you a fantastic feeling of accomplishment and it will also help the environment too! So why not give it a try and see for yourself how gardening is good for your wellbeing.
Stuck for space?
Stuck for space? not to worry, there are plenty of ways you can incorporate the joys of gardening into smaller spaces. Luckily, most herbs can grow indoors - basil, chives, mint, oregano, parsley and thyme are a great place to start.
Get social!
Not sure where to start? Why not join a local gardening group - you’ll get to meet new people as well as learning and improving your gardening skills.
Head over to https://www.rhs.org.uk/get-involved/find-a-group to find a local gardening near you….
Feeling inspired to take up gardening? Tag us @brownpaperpackagescouk to let us know how you’re getting on. If you would like to inspire someone else then why not buy them a gardening therapy gift...
