Gardening can benefit your health by providing physical activity and fresh air. Many studies have shown that gardening lowers stress levels and improves mood, and it may even reduce the risk of dementia.
For most people, gardening offers the opportunity to slow down, relax, and enjoy nature. If you're thinking of taking up gardening as a hobby, it can be one of the best decisions you can make. Below are five ways it can benefit your life.
It Keeps You Active
If you think about it, gardening is actually a full-body workout. It involves lifting, digging, stretching, bending, and walking. And the more you do it, the stronger your muscles will become.
Unlike other physically demanding activities, gardening is easy to start, low-impact, and doesn't require special training or equipment. It doesn't demand the same repetitive motions that can lead to injuries in strenuous sports or exercise routines. There is no one "correct" way to garden, and you can adapt your gardening style to suit your physical limitations.
It Helps Relieve Stress
It might seem strange that gardening is such an effective way to relieve stress — after all, doesn't it require work? But it can actually help you feel less anxious because it helps take your mind off the chaos of everyday life.
There's nothing quite like getting your hands in the dirt and watching something come to life right before your eyes, especially when you've put in the effort to cultivate and care for it. Gardening provides the perfect opportunity for mindfulness practice, and that alone can be extremely therapeutic.
It Teaches Patience
Patience can be rewarding. As adults, we tend to forget about that and instead opt for quick fixes and instant gratification.
You won't get immediate results from your gardening efforts, but the satisfaction you'll get from watching a plant grow will be worth all that time and effort.
Planting seeds and watching them grow is also a good reminder that growth takes time. If you're feeling stressed or frustrated about something in your life, gardening can be a good reminder that things take time.
It Helps You Connect With Nature
There's something about being in nature that relaxes and calms us, whether we're on a full-fledged escape in the woods or just out for a walk.
Gardening is one activity that's healthy and rewarding. It is also a great way to connect with the natural world around you. Learning to connect with nature in this way has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve mood.
Even apartment dwellers can reap the mental health benefits through container gardening. All you need are a couple of pots or a window box, some potting soil, and seeds or seedlings.
It’s Good For Your Apartment Home
When you grow plants in your apartment, you're effectively cleaning the air in and around your apartment. That's because plants are natural air filters.
Plants absorb carbon dioxide to create food through photosynthesis and release oxygen as a byproduct, which our bodies need to survive.
Not only that, but some plants also absorb other gaseous pollutants from the air, such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. That means gardening can make your place a healthier place to live in too.
Indoor plants are an easy way to bring a little of the outdoors in, but they serve purposes beyond just decor. In fact, adding a few plants to your apartment can actually improve your environment.
From reducing stress levels to boosting your mood and overall health, gardening is more than just a hobby — it can be an excellent way to live an eco-friendly life and contribute towards making our planet a better place to live in.