Numerous positive actions contribute to maintaining both physical and mental health. In addition to exercise, engaging in gardening can yield significant benefits, particularly for mental well-being, focus, and concentration.

Participating in gardening isn't limited to adults; it's an activity that can be enjoyed by children as well, offering a fun and enriching experience for all ages.

Mental Health Benefits of Gardening

According to a recent study from the University of Colorado published in January 2023 in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, gardening provides mental health benefits due to significantly reduced levels of stress and anxiety. These and other benefits are as follows:

• Reduces stress and improves mood

Stress can play a role in various health problems, such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, mood changes, depression, and anxiety. Health experts recommend everyone have a hobby to help reduce stress, such as gardening.

Gardening not only provides a feeling of peace and contentment,. Focusing on the details of gardening can reduce negative thoughts and emotions so you can feel better.

• Boosts self-esteem

Seeing plants that are well cared for and thriving can be an achievement in itself that evokes a sense of pride and increased self-esteem.

• Improves focus and attention

If you have difficulty maintaining focus on tasks or daily activities, gardening can be an effective means to train concentration. Involving physical activity and interaction with plants continuously trains concentration and attention, thus enhancing focus on task details.

The garden or outdoor environment often offers a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere, helping to alleviate stress and reduce disturbances that can disrupt concentration.

• Physical exercise

Not addition to exercising, gardening can also be an alternative physical activity that is beneficial for the body. Activities such as weeding, digging, sweeping, and lifting light loads while gardening involve whole-body movements similar to aerobic exercises. As a result, heart rate, blood circulation, and metabolism will increase, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall heart health.

Movements in gardening, such as bending, reaching, and arranging plants, also help improve motor skills and body balance.

• Encouraging social contact

Joining a gardening community allows you to meet more people and share interests, knowledge, experiences, and skills with other members. In such opportunities, you can build social contacts and positive relationships, providing emotional support for yourself.

Don't have enough land for gardening? No problem; gardening doesn't have to involve a large area of land. You can use lightweight pots or set up your garden vertically.

If gardening or other positive hobbies do not help you overcome stress and anxiety, as well as worsening stress and depression symptoms, you should see your doctor about your mental health.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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