Gardening for Wellness: The Therapeutic Benefits of Tending to a Summer Garden

Whether you have acres of land or just a few pots on a balcony, cultivating a garden is the perfect summer hobby. 

Not only is it a peaceful and satisfying experience to grow your own food or flowers, but it can be a powerful catalyst for wellness as well.

‍

‍

Gardening provides a holistic approach to well-being, combining physical activity, mental health benefits, and nutritional rewards.

‍

Increased Exercise

‍

Gardening allows you to incorporate more natural movement into your day and mimics a full body workout. Functional movements such as the movements done when weeding, digging, lifting, or raking, helps you tend to the needs, not just of your garden, but also your body.

By taking your joints through their whole range of motion, you can strengthen and stabilize your muscles, improve mobility and flexibility, alleviate pain, and help prevent injuries.

‍

Improved Mental Health

‍

Gardening helps to improve your mental and emotional health for a variety of reasons. For one, it is a form of exercise and exercising does help to lighten mood and lower anxiety. It also encourages deeper breathing and time outdoors both of which help to reduce stress in the body and mind. 

Gardens also require a certain level of routine to care and maintain throughout the growing season. Humans crave routine, as it gives structure to our day. The garden care routine which includes regular watering and weeding creates a soothing rhythm in the midst of an otherwise busy life. 

One study in particular found that gardening, far more so than even reading, helped to significantly lower the stress hormone cortisol. ¹

Additionally, studies have found that gardening helps to improve cognitive function, including memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.²

‍

Improved Diet

‍

Beyond the mental and physical benefits, gardening offers the reward of healthy and delicious homegrown produce, adding a rich variety of tastes and essential nutrients to your diet. 

When you cultivate your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you gain access to the freshest ingredients possible, often superior in flavor and nutritional value compared to store-bought counterparts. Homegrown produce is typically richer in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants because it is harvested at peak ripeness, ensuring maximum nutrient density. 

Also as they are grown in your garden, you can also guarantee your produce does not contain pesticides or preservatives. 

Tending a garden can transform your physical health, mental well-being, and dietary habits this summer. So, grab your trowel and head outside!

‍

‍