Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Gardening
When you want to relax and unwind, what do you do? Curl up on the couch with a good book? Sit back and watch a movie or television? Listen to music? Another great choice is to step outside and spend 30 minutes digging in the dirt. Time spent in the garden can improve your body and your mind. In fact, the health benefits of gardening make it a smart move for everyone.
The idea that working in the garden is good for body and soul is hardly new. George Washington once said “I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” The attraction of gardening is one that crosses all time periods and culture barriers. Humans find rest for their spirit when they are surrounded by green and growing things.
Physical Health Benefits of Gardening
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that two and a half hours per week of gentle exercise can provide many physical health benefits. Low-intensity exercise can lower blood pressure, protect against obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even some forms of cancer. The CDC states that gardening qualifies as the kind of gentle exercise which can offer all of these health benefits. It is a total body form of exercise that can keep you living longer and healthier.
Mental Health Benefits of Gardening
If the Father of our Country knew about the delights of gardening so, too, did the father of modern psychology. Sigmund Freud said “Flowers are restful to look at.” Since that endorsement, many other mental health experts have added their voices to sing the mental health praises of gardening. Time in the garden has been shown to lower tension and stress. Potting around in the soil can alleviate symptoms of depression and many ailments linked to stress such as headache, stomachache and agitation. Some mental health professionals believe that the fresh air and exercise gained in the garden can ward off some symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Community Benefits of Gardening
The benefits of gardening are so evident, that many cities and towns have instituted community gardens. Trees clean the air and rid it of pollutants so effectively that they are sometimes called the lungs of the community. Community gardens provide spaces of rest, places for creativity and opportunities for productivity. Furthermore, property values near gardens have been shown to increase markedly. And, good for the public budget, community gardens are more economical to maintain than park land.
Kincaid Plant Markers believes in the power of the garden to do all these things and more. It’s why we decided to make a career out of providing gardeners with the quality tools that make a garden complete. Our stainless steel plant markers will clearly identify each flower, vegetable or plant and look terrific doing so year after year. Please visit us and order your own set of markers. We’d love to see everyone benefitting from the good that comes in a garden.
