You may already know that gardening offers a ton of health benefits, from the added shot of Vitamin D to the exercise you get in just being out there. Gardening offers you so much more than access to fresh produce and yet so many lose out on the benefits of looking after their garden by hiring experts to do it all for them.
There’s nothing wrong with outsourcing, especially if you need the help, but sometimes it’s better to get stuck into your garden on your own and not hire someone to do the work. Being in the garden can have massive benefits to your overall health and it’s also a wonderful hobby. There’s never a reason to justify wanting to be in nature, and while the benefits of gardening are too long to list, we do have a few of the reasons you should be looking after yourself.
- The chance to get physical. If you hate the gym but you also sit at a desk all day, being in the garden is your chance to get physical and have fun. Using a push mower, digging, raking and pulling weeds all offer you the chance to get your sweat on. Just make sure that you wear a hat and keep yourself safe in the sun. The chance to burn calories while making your space look beautiful will help you to get into nature while also getting yourself enough rest at night time, too.
- That Vitamin D. We mentioned it previously but it’s always worth mentioning again. Sunlight exposure is going to help your health exponentially and it goes beyond the warmth of the sun on your skin. Sunlight exposure can lower your blood pressure and helps to boost your vitamin D, so getting outside is a great idea. You can really benefit from wearing sunscreen outside too and as we said before – don’t forget your hat!
- You’re going to eat better. It’s not just because you’ll be hungry after all that exertion, but you could be in the garden growing your own veggies and fruits. You can even grow your own herbs with a dedicated herb garden. You don’t have to panic about pesticides or go hysterical over herbicides, either. You can pick your produce fresh and all you have to do is learn when the best time of the year is to plant and sow. Homegrown produce always tastes so much better, too!
- You get a chance to help your mental health. The physical benefits of gardening have already been discussed but the mental health benefits are just as important. You can spend time in the garden and have the opportunity to get away from those daily stressors that really get you down. Getting outside can give you a burst of fresh air, the chance to burn off some energy and pull in a fresh perspective with every weed you pull. Being among the scents of the flowers and the shapes of the plants can really help you to see life a little differently.
- You can be social. Gardens can either be social locations with friends, or you can get acquainted with your plant life. Get your people around you to cook outside on the BBQ or firepit. Sit out on the deck under cover and enjoy a good rain storm while your plants benefit from a drink. You can share your produce with others and make friends with the neighbors. The opportunities for social fun in your garden can be limitless, you just have to be willing to put in the time and effort to make it look good in the first place.
- You’re in nature! More and more of us spend too much time doom scrolling our phones indoors. Instead of spending your evenings scrolling on your phone, you could be outside enjoying the sunlight and the lightning bugs in the evening. Being indoors all the time isn’t good for you and you could be spending your time outside having fun in the fresh air. Being in nature can really make you feel more mellow and you’ll spend some much needed time away from your screen.
- You get to touch dirt. Did you know that touching dirt is good for you? When you touch the dirt you expose yourself to some germs and get a chance to boost your immune system. Soil gives you a real opportunity to be one with nature and that can make all the difference to your health.
The benefits of being in the garden? Huge! The benefits of looking after it yourself and knowing that you are the one in charge? Priceless.