It’s well known how much exposure to open green spaces can play a role in your mental and physical health. There is a UK physician who once said “everyone requires a Natural Health Service along with a Natural Health Service.”
While it’s easy to see why it helps, it’s another to figure out how to get more exposure to green spaces and gardening into the daily lives of many. The NHS has focused in its Long Term Plan on social prescribing as of the beginning of 2019. As the population continues to get older and the costs of associated health care continue to skyrocket, it’s only becoming increasingly important.
There is a big opportunity for this activity to play a crucial role in the betterment of our nation’s physical and mental health. Researchers are looking to comprehend how to improve the benefits that can be gained from exposure to gardening.
Exercise
While it’s common knowledge how good exercise can be for you, it’s not something everyone incorporates into their daily lives. The NHS considers it an essential part of maintaining optimal health. It’s proven that those who engage in regular physical activity end up with a 35% reduced risk of suffering from both heart disease and a stroke. The physical and mental illnesses associated with living a sedentary life come with both a social and an economic cost attached.
One of the things that is much less known is how much gardening can help in this aspect. Anyone that gardens will be happy to know that they can burn a significant number of calories during a basic 30-minute gardening session. You can burn as many calories in 30 minutes of gardening as you can practicing yoga or even playing a sport like a volleyball.
That being said, there are still inherent risks associated with gardening as an exercise if done improperly. Luckily, the RHS has done some research on how to effectively practice gardening without straining the muscles too much. To do the research, they used technology that can be found in the center of Hollywood to figure out how much stress is placed on the joints and muscles while gardening. If you require gardening services, Pristine Gardens can offer their gardening services at pricing affordable to you.
Discovering Both Health and Happiness
There are plenty of benefits of gardening and it’s much more than being a way to get healthy exercise into your daily life. There was a King’s Fund report that showed that the benefits of the activity were exceptional and ranged greatly. A lot of studies showed that there were anti-depression benefits, but also an improvement in anxiety too. Likewise, gardening can be a good way to allow an older person to maintain a high level of independence and to limit any sort of cognitive decline. There were researchers in Tokyo that found that there were sufficient benefits for the activity that made it something all governments and health organizations should start promoting.
The ample research showcasing the benefits of gardening only amplifies how effective being exposed to green spaces and nature can be. This includes access to parks and the wilderness.
There is ample evidence that points to exposure to green spaces can promote better health and wellness. There was a study conducted in 2014 that showed that those who lived near green spaces ended up reporting significantly less mental distress than those that didn’t. This was true even after accounting for income, employment, and education. There was a team of Dutch researchers in 2009 that found that those who lived within half of a mile of open green space had a lower incidence of as many as 15 illnesses that included heart disease, anxiety, depression, and more.