03/17/2025
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In all blue zones, people continue to garden even into their 90s and 100s. Gardening is the epitome of a blue zones activity because it engineers more mindless movement into our lives. But did you know that gardening is good for your mental health, too?
7 BENEFITS OF GARDENING ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH:
1. YOU CAN DEPEND ON IT: Studies show uncertainty affects our mental health. A neatly cut lawn or a yard full of blooming flowers can put some normalcy and certainty back into your life.
2. GREEN IS GOOD: Just being outside in a green space is good for your mental health and can result in reduced stress.
3. BETTER NUTRITION: It's no secret that healthy eating boosts your mental health. Plant an array of colorful vegetables such as sweet potatoes, eggplant, green beans, and swiss chard for a healthier menu.
4. GARDENING AS EXERCISE: It’s not just running and biking that gets the endorphins going. Researchers say gardening counts as exercise, too. Just a few minutes of gardening can help lower your levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
5. GARDENING AS CONNECTION: Caring for a living garden, or better yet a community garden, can reconnect you with a sense of purpose, and keep you surrounded by like-minded people.
6. BEING MINDFUL: Activities such as pruning roses or cutting back bushes, afford you the opportunity to practice being in the moment. It’s a practice that has proven mental health benefits.
7. PRIDE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT: Don’t have a big plot of land? Create a balcony garden or kitchen herb garden to improve your mental health.
Read more: https://www.bluezones.com/2022/06/7-benefits-of-gardening-and-yardwork-on-your-mental-health/
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