As we are now in the summer months, more and more people are doing a spot of gardening, whether that be mowing the lawn or planting a few colourful flowers. However, you may be unaware of the health benefits of gardening, and how it can improve your lifestyle. If you are wanting to spruce up your garden or outdoor space but have not found the motivation to do so yet, we have listed below the mental and physical benefits of gardening to encourage you.
Physical Benefits
Improved Strength and Flexibility
Gardening is a very good form of exercise, even if you feel like you’re not doing much. The process of cutting, pulling, and digging can improve your body's overall strength and flexibility. Many areas of the body will increase in strength, whether that be your hands, legs, arms, or even your abdominals!
Increased Vitamin D Levels
You will more than likely be gardening in the sunshine, and you will therefore be exposed to vitamin D which has many health benefits. Vitamin D is essential to keep your bones and muscles healthy, as it helps to control the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, overall boosting your immune system.
Improved Heart Health
The manual labour of gardening can be very hard work, activities such as digging, kneeling, and bending down, involve a lot of energy and effort. All of these movements help the body to burn calories and overall strengthen the heart. It is proven that regular physical activity such as gardening can reduce heart disease and stroke chances by 35%!
Mental Benefits
Increased Levels of Dopamine and Serotonin
Gardening can be a very rewarding activity, whether you’ve transformed your garden into a more vibrant space, or have successfully grown your first vegetable, the results can trigger a state of euphoria. Dopamine and serotonin are two natural neurotransmitters in the brain which increase a person’s happiness. Through gardening and the feeling of accomplishment, the two are released in the brain, overall lifting your mood. Not only does the physical nature of gardening release these chemicals but being outdoors in the sun and breathing in the fresh air can also boost your mood.
Reduces Stress
Just like other activities such as painting, reading, and playing music, gardening can be a very therapeutic activity, and it is proven to reduce the level of cortisol in the brain (a stress hormone). The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) published research in 2021, surrounding the link between well-being and gardening. They created a survey that consisted of 6000 people and found that people who garden frequently had a well-being score of 6.6% higher and a stress levels score of 4.2% lower than those who do not garden at all.
Helps Depression and Anxiety
Gardening provides you with the opportunity to focus on something, to take your mind off things that may be getting you down. It is also a fun task that can be completed in a group, perhaps with friends or family to keep you company.
Reduces cognitive decline
It is known that exercise can help improve the cognitive functions of the brain, and gardening can do the same. When you are gardening, the brain remains stimulated and active which helps to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. As stated above the reduction of cortisol in the brain also helps your memory and learning.
Gardening Equipment at BS Fixings
Here at BS Fixings, we stock a wide range of high-quality gardening tools and equipment, perfect for your gardening tool kits! We believe gardening is an excellent way to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and with our gardening tool range, you will be able to complete all your tasks effectively. Hopefully, our list of health benefits will encourage you to do some gardening this summer. If you wish to find more information about our gardening tools, feel free to contact us today and our team will be more than happy to help.
