4 Ways Gardening Can Boost Your Well-Being
Sian Victoria © - Bird house on a garden fence under trees
Looking to improve your physical, emotional, and mental well-being? Then spending some time in your garden may offer the solution you’ve been searching for. The link between gardening and well-being has long been established, and a new study has helped provide even more evidence.
Research from the University of Edinburgh has found that people who spend time gardening show greater lifetime improvement in their cognitive ability than those who do not. This research backs up the well-documented connection between spending time in green spaces and positive mental health. The garden may simply offer the easiest way to access nature.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at why gardening can help to nudge an individual’s overall well-being in the right direction, whatever age they may be.
1. A Quiet Space to Reflect
The home should be a quiet, relaxing space where we can unwind — but all too often, that’s not the case. There are usually domestic chores on the to-do list that impact our capacity to relax when on the couch. Plus, we’re increasingly likely to spend our time inside our properties staring at our smartphone screens, which can worsen mental health. Spending time in a well-landscaped garden, on the other hand, offers a chance to engage in quiet, peaceful reflection and relaxation.
2. Physical Work
Though we’re often drawn to spending time on the couch, studies have repeatedly shown that some light physical activity isn’t just recommended for positive well-being; it’s essential. Spending time maintaining the garden provides the perfect opportunity to engage in light physical activity.
Mowing the lawn is good for your well-being; not only will it have you moving your body, but if you buy an electric lawn mower from a brand like Worx — rather than a loud petrol lawn mower — then it can also be a therapeutic, relaxing activity too. Throw in the fact that gardening can help to lower stress levels and boost heart health, and it’s a no-brainer that it’s good for your overall well-being.
Sian Victoria © - Using cutters to landscape the garden
3. Eating Healthier
We all know the importance of eating healthy, nutritious foods. Starting your own vegetable garden on your property is an excellent way to boost the quality of your food intake. There’s no vegetable that’s healthier — or more satisfying to eat — than one that was grown in your back garden. If you have no experience in growing vegetables, then look at starting with the ones that are easiest for UK homeowners to grow. These include courgettes, tomatoes, and potatoes.
4. It Can Become a Social Space
Finally, one underrated way that gardening can support your well-being is that it can turn your outdoor area into a social space that you can enjoy with your friends and family. Studies have shown that people are happiest on days when they socialise for 6 or more hours. Having a well-manicured, relaxing garden that you can share with your nearest and dearest increases the chances that it’ll happen — it’s unlikely that you’ll sit in a restaurant for six hours, but spending all day soaking up the rays with your friends? Sign us up.
