The Therapeutic benefits of gardening
Since most of the U.S. is enduring cold temperatures and bad weather right now, I thought it would be a good time to look at all the great benefits we enjoy by growing a garden. Once you start to think about everything involved with growing a garden the amount of physical and mental benefits are amazing.
Lets start out with the physical benefits. Gardening is an activity you can enjoy no mater what your age is and you can be in almost any kind of shape. Gardeners are in better shape than the general population, we tend to weigh less and have fewer health problems. It is a combination of the many tasks involved. Just getting outside to do some gardening for maybe an hour that always goes by to quickly involves getting sunlight and fresh air, something a lot of people get very little of these days. Think about the exercise you get just puttering around the garden. At different times it usually involves carrying bags of mulch , pushing a wheelbarrow, hoeing rows, picking weeds, planting seeds, carrying equipment, shoveling soil, pushing a lawn mower, and many other gardening jobs that provide a whole body workout. Turning over soil in the spring is a great workout, many times you end out with sore muscles the next day from this kind of task. Another good thing is that this is a goal oriented activity so you are likely to stay with it for a longer time as opposed to the boredom of a treadmill. You are also likely to eat a lot healthier as you enjoy the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that you have grown. I just wish we had a longer growing season here in Connecticut.
The mental benefits are just as amazing. Have you ever stood in the summer sunlight and just looked on with amazement at all the beautiful things you have grown. Just to be still for a few moments and notice the bees and the other insects and wildlife that are a part of the garden. This is the gardening glow and is as powerful as any meditation I have done. The mental exercise is also great, gardeners have a 36% lower rate of alzheimers disease. Planning your garden, researching the different plants and what they need to grow well can be an a enjoyable and challenging mental activity, and if you are curious enough there is really no end to the amount of learning you can do. The reduction in stress, tension, anxiety and depression have all been well documented. The increased feelings of happiness and well being are something everyone can use these days. I can not wait to get back outside and start enjoying my garden again as early as possible this spring. Until then I can make plans for the spring and also start indoor seedlings for plants that have a long growing season.