Gardening Improves Mental and Physical Health
Being outside is enough to give your mood a boost. So, it’s no surprise that just being around the vegetation of a garden, in addition to being able to notice the progression of growth, and enjoying the rewards of a harvest, also benefits your mental and physical health. Investing time and effort into a garden, thinking first hand about what you’ll be eating, and light exercise are all benefits to maintaining a garden.
As published by Harvard Health, “we know that planting vegetation can help the environment by reducing wastewater loads, sequestering carbon, and mitigating the effects of climate change. Our new findings suggest a possible co-benefit — improving health — that presents planners, landscape architects, and policy makers with an potential tool to grow healthier places.”
According to another article published by Harvard Health, “light tends to elevate people’s mood, and unless you live in a glass house or are using a light box to treat seasonal affective disorder, there’s usually more light available outside than in. Physical activity has been shown to relax and cheer people up, so if being outside replaces inactive pursuits with active ones, it might also mean more smiles and laughter.”
As explained by an article reported by Harvard Health, “backyard gardening can inspire you to take an interest in the origins of your food and make better choices about what you put on your plate,” says Dr. Helen Delichatsios, an internist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. “When you grow your own food, you savor it more because of the effort it took to get to the table.”
Freshly grown food helps your body feel good, the consistency and greenery of a garden help your mind stay positive. Tending to a garden keeps your surrounding environment healthy as well. Gardening presents a great feedback loop that rewards things beneficial to both your health and the plants, like patience, and provides a space to find peace and calm through routine. Whether it be a community garden, a small plot in your backyard, or a few potted plants on your windowsill, maintaining plants and gardening can help boost your mental health, with little effort.
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