Regular physical activity has many benefits, including keeping your heart healthy, strengthening bones, boosting your mood and energy levels and promoting better sleep. But being fit doesn’t have to mean going to the gym. Everyday activities, such as gardening, can have physical benefits and support mental wellbeing too.
There is evidence to suggest that if you regularly spend time gardening you can improve strength, endurance and flexibility. It may also help to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
And it doesn’t stop there. Spending time in the garden – or any green space – can have a marked effect on mental health and wellbeing – reducing stress and anxiety, alleviating depression and even calming symptoms such as agitation and aggression in dementia patients. It can also give us a sense of satisfaction and empowerment when achieving our goals, improving our self-esteem and confidence.
Throw in a ready supply of home grown fresh produce from a well-tended vegetable patch or allotment and you can add nutritional and money-saving benefits to the mix!
Our infographic outlines just how beneficial time in the garden can be on your body and mind.
Further reading
Mental health benefits of spending time in nature – AXA Health
Benefits of hiking – AXA Health
Exercise and mental health benefits – AXA Health
Benefits of everyday activities on the body – AXA Health
Sources
Gardens and health: implications for policy and practice – The Kings Fund
The benefits of gardening and food growing for health and wellbeing - Garden Organic and Sustain
Physical activity guidelines for adults - NHS
Calorie burners - WEBMD
The importance of non-exercise physical activity for cardiovascular health and longevity - British Journal of Sports Medicine
Gardening promotes neuroendocrine - NCBI
Physical and Psychological Health Conditions of Older Adults Classified as Gardeners or Nongardeners – American Society for Horticultural Science
Strength and flexibility - NHS