5 Ways Your Health Can Benefit from Gardening

Every season is a wonderful time to get into the garden, and there are plants that can be grown and nurtured throughout the year. Gardening can also be beneficial for your health, and getting outside is something we all need to do on a daily basis. But how and why is gardening good for you? Well, here are five reasons why; motivating you to get out there and grow something beautiful.

#1 It Makes You Feel Good

People say you shouldn’t own a pet before you can care for a plant, but the latter is actually a lot harder to look after. Getting into the garden every day and watching your plants thrive is fantastic for your confidence and self-esteem. It makes you feel good about yourself and your capabilities. We all need a little confidence boost sometimes, and gardening is perfect.

#2 It’s Good for Your Heart

Gardening isn’t just fun; it also counts as exercise. Whether you are pruning your plants or are about to plug in your pressure washer to clean your paths, all of these little things are helping you burn calories and strengthen your heart. In fact, alongside housework, gardening tasks have been shown to reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

#3 It Makes You Feel Happy

Above all, it makes you feel happy in yourself and it is great for your mental health. Studies have shown that being outside and in the fresh air can actually boost your mood and relieve feelings of depression and anxiety. This is especially true if you decide to do the gardening with your pets, as their presence increases oxytocin levels to make you feel happier.

#4 It Reduces Stress Levels

Get a strong pair of welly boots, and go out to enjoy the dirt. Your garden is a place you are responsible for. Your own little haven created with your hands. It’s amazingly therapeutic to just sit on the ground and tend to your plants. To mow the lawn, and get stuck in with your tasks. In fact, the soil contains a healthy bacterium known as M. vaccae that boosts serotonin levels. Just walking in your garden, landscaping and the wilderness gives you this effect.

#5 It Helps You Sleep Better

Gardening is a light activity, something that keeps the mind and body active for a few hours. This activity can actually lead to you getting better sleep at night, which is good for your mental and physical health. The fresh air clears the mind, and the gardening work tires the body little by little as the day progresses. And according to bedroomcritic.com, “This activity can actually lead to you getting better sleep at night, which is good for your mental and physical health.” It’s the perfect excuse for a little nap in the hammock too, don’t you think?

To Conclude

I hope this nifty gardening guide has been able to show you just how good it can be for your health. It’s good for us to be outside and, quite frankly, we don’t get out enough. Whether you have one plant or twenty, you should try to do a little every day. You’ll see the positive effect it has in no time at all. 

About the Author: Dan J is a health and outdoor writer and journalist based in the UK.

Photos by Lisa Fotios from Pexels & Jill Wellington from Pexels