How Can Gardening Benefit Your Health?

While many of us know that keeping fit is a vital part of leading a healthy lifestyle, purchasing a gym membership or joining an exercise class are not the only ways to keep our bodies in shape. In fact, there are several activities that we carry out in our day to day lives that can bring huge health benefits that help to improve both physical fitness as well as mental wellbeing. One of these is gardening; not only does getting out into the fresh air prove revitalising in any weather but gardening tasks such as moving the lawn, weeding flower beds and pushing a wheelbarrow all help to improve balance, flexibility, strength and wellbeing in general. Below, we’ve outlined just a few ways in which gardening can benefit your health.

Head
Scientific research has found that gardeners have reduced levels of cortisol, the hormone that causes stress, in their bodies. As such, gardening can help improve your focus, sleep and contribute to your wellbeing overall by lowering stress levels and increasing relaxation.

Hands
Many people often find their hands become weaker over time, especially as they grow older. Not only can gardening help you regain the strength in your hands through tasks such as digging, planting and weeding, but it can also help increase nimbleness too! 

Legs
Gardening often involves being on your feet for extended periods of time, whether that’s while you’re squatting down to lift wooden garden planters or pushing a wheelbarrow full of weeds around. This consequently helps to build up strength in your bottom and legs, meaning you can stay active for longer.

Immunity
Our bodies need good bacteria to help fight off any harmful bacteria that enter our system. As such, increased exposure to soil bacteria through gardening can boost immunity, reducing the risk of bugs and illness.

Feet
Finally, gardening can also help to improve the strength in our ankles and feet, increasing both balance and flexibility, which is especially beneficial for those who are unsteady on their feet or partial to falling.

If you want to know more about how gardening can benefit your health, check out our handy infographic below. Alternatively, visit our website now to browse our gorgeous range of planter crates, planting kits and gardening accessories, all of which will undoubtedly serve to enhance your gardening experience and help you on your way to becoming as fit as a fiddle!

Please include attribution to https://www.plantabox.co.uk with this graphic.