Why gardening is good for your mind, body, and soul
Gardening offers more than just a beautiful yard—it benefits your mind, body, and soul, as research shows. Whether you’re tending a small kitchen garden or a larger vegetable patch, nurturing plants and flowers brings numerous health benefits. It promotes a healthier lifestyle and can help prevent illnesses.
At its core, gardening is hands-on and anticipatory. It provides a sense of purpose as you care for plants’ growth and well-being. The satisfaction of nurturing flowers, plants, and produce from seed is immensely gratifying.
Gardening is also a reasonably active hobby. Research from Australia suggests it may be more effective in preventing dementia than walking, education, or moderate alcohol consumption. Beyond dementia prevention, gardening can reduce the risk of various health issues and significantly improve mental well-being.
Why is gardening good for your health?
Gardening is not only effective in reducing dementia risk—surpassing even activities like walking—but also provides other significant health benefits. These include lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, and improving mental health.
Dr. Robert Hutchins, an internal medicine specialist at UNC Health, highlights gardening’s cardiovascular benefits due to its physical demands and manual labor. Gardening involves burning calories and strengthening the heart. The hands-on nature of gardening also enhances hand strength and endurance over time.
Spending time outdoors during gardening increases exposure to natural vitamin D, which is crucial for immune function, bone health, and mood regulation. Growing your own produce ensures access to seasonal, locally sourced food without concerns about organic labels or pesticides, thereby promoting a healthier diet.
Research suggests gardening benefits children by teaching them about food, growth, and responsibility, and may reduce allergies and autoimmune diseases through early exposure to soil.
Is gardening good for your mental health?
Gardening offers more than just physical benefits—it positively impacts mental health too. Research shows that being in natural surroundings makes people happier, and lack of exposure to nature can lead to health and behavioral issues in children, termed ‘nature-deficit disorder’.
Studies indicate that inhaling M. vaccae, a soil-dwelling bacteria, can increase serotonin levels and reduce anxiety, promoting a sense of happiness.
Gardening has been proven to alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. It also enhances life satisfaction, quality of life, and community connection. Regular interaction with nature has lasting effects on mental health, reducing anxiety and depression symptoms.
Furthermore, consistent gardening reduces stress, improves mood, and boosts self-esteem. While not a mental health condition itself, enhanced self-esteem increases confidence and helps individuals navigate mental health challenges.
Is gardening good for your immune system?
Spending time outdoors while gardening can increase your exposure to natural vitamin D, which, in turn, can improve your mood, strengthen your bones, and boost your immune system. Additionally, gardening can improve your sleep, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy immune system.
By allowing your body to rest and recover, a good night’s sleep can help fight off illnesses like colds more effectively.
Is gardening good for your soul?
When it comes to determining whether something is scientifically beneficial for the soul, it can be challenging to gauge. Nevertheless, there are some mental health and spiritual advantages associated with gardening that support the notion that gardening is indeed good for the soul.
To establish that gardening is good for the soul, it’s challenging to quantify the spiritual benefits of an activity through research and data. Nevertheless, some of the mental health and spiritual benefits of gardening can be pointed out to support this claim.
For one, spending time in nature has been linked to higher levels of happiness. Gardening, in particular, has been shown to enhance mood, reduce stress, and stabilize anxiety and depression. Moreover, gardening can give individuals a sense of purpose and accomplishment, which is highly rewarding. Additionally, when surrounded by nature, people tend to feel more connected to their spirituality.
Overall, these various health benefits come together to make a strong case that gardening is indeed good for the soul!
