8 Reasons Why Gardening Is the Way to Happiness

Gardening has always been perceived as a healthy and constructive activity, it has been thought of forming a root in the body and mind. Recent studies have concluded that the wellness principle can be clearly seen in subjects that regularly participate in gardening activities. It has been said to reduce stress which helps counter most of life’s troubles.

So here are a list of factors that conclude why gardening helps work our way towards better health and wellness:

1.  Gardening is a form of exercise as it keeps the body active and helps pass the time. Studies have also shown a direct correlation between reduced chances of osteoporosis and gardening.
2. Gardening is an activity that helps restore the natural rhythm of life, it helps us from writhing from a technology overload and the focus it creates has been credited to combating depression.
3. Gardening can be thought of as a form of meditation, as the act of sitting idly by and meditating can be a daunting task for the most of us, but gardening is an activity that reaffirms the natural order of us with our surroundings. The sounds, smells and the sights of gardening are very calming to the senses and it helps most people to deal with chronic illnesses.
4.  The activity of gardening lets us experience the miracle of life, as flowers die out and then seeds sprout out, so this lets us experience a life lesson firsthand. Even the act of a damaged or dying plant replenishing, when the gardener takes care of it helps restore our faith in life and makes us hope.
5.  Gardener’s tent to consume more fresh and healthy vegetables and fruits than others and these are loaded with beneficiary nutrients as well as phytonutrients that add to the gardener’s health.
6. Working in the sun replenishes our sources of Vitamin D in the body as it is actively created in the sunlight. It has also been accredited to increase the production of serotonin that improves our mood, as well as the production of melatonin which helps us get a good night’s sleep and then wake up completely refreshed in the morning.
7.  Gardening may be just one way to achieve your target 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise each week — but gardening provides a rewarding motivation that makes it happen, unlike a treadmill, which invites associations with hamsters in wheels. A large Stockholm study showed that regular gardening cuts stroke and heart attack risk by up to 30% for those over 60. Raised beds can save the joints and extend possible gardening years for seniors, or for anyone wishing to garden more comfortably. Make sure to expose your limbs (without sunscreen) for just 10 minutes during midday gardening: this will reduce risks of heart disease, osteoporosis, and various cancers.
8.  One long-term study followed nearly 3000 older adults for 16 years, tracking incidence of all kinds of dementia and assessing a variety of lifestyle factors. Researchers found daily gardening to represent the single biggest risk reduction for dementia, reducing incidence by 36%. Another study estimated the risk reduction at 47%! Why does gardening make such a difference? Alzheimer’s is a mysterious disease, and the factors influencing its incidence and progression remain poorly understood