What does gardening do for you? Some people see it as an optional hobby. Others have small gardens that supplement a home kitchen or are purely ornamental. Others rely on gardening for most of the nourishment for their mind, body, and home. Whether you enjoy gardening a little or a lot, you cannot deny the benefits it can offer to your life. In this article, we'll explore the wealth of research-backed evidence supporting the health benefits of gardening and what makes it such a powerful tool for enhancing overall well-being.

Reduces Stress and Lowers Cortisol Levels

COVID-19 may have been one of the most stressful times in our generation. We all go through stressful seasons of life, but the pandemic was a shared experience that almost the entire world went through. A research team took advantage of this time and “investigated the relationship between people and gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influenced the ability of people to garden.” What they found was that gardening can relieve stress. In fact, “gardening was overwhelmingly important for nature connection, individual stress release, outdoor physical activity, and food provision.”

Not only that but it has also been further studied that gardening literally reduces cortisol levels and improves overall mood even when compared to other stress-relieving activities such as reading. Whether you are going through a temporary stressful time or are dealing with chronically high cortisol levels, gardening can help!

Improves Immune System Function

Being outside regularly is essential to our immune system's function. While many people shy away from being exposed to any kind of foreign microbe, we need to remember that exposure makes our bodies strong. A systematic review of studies done by the National Health Institute found that exposure to nature (such as gardening) increased anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and anti-asthmatic effects while simultaneously decreasing pro-inflammatory molecules, infiltration of leukocytes, and release of cytotoxic mediators.

Spending time in the garden exposes us to microbes in the soil, sunlight, and fresh air. All of these things improve our immune system. This is all apart from the obvious improvement in diet that would result from gardening regularly. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables has been shown to improve overall bodily function and directly impact immune system health.

Improves Mental Well-Being

We already talked about cortisol levels specifically, but gardening has also been proven to improve mood. In the same study about reducing cortisol levels, they also saw that mood was essentially ‘fixed’ by regular nature exposure. Whether you have anxiety, depression, or another mood disorder, gardening can help you when it is part of your regular lifestyle. Not only that, gardening and horticulture-related activities are proven to improve self-esteem and quality of life overall!

Gardening also improves our mind’s cognitive function. Now, I do not understand the factors that scientists use to measure cognitive health. Still, from what I can understand, gardening improves memory, counteracts dementia, improves neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to heal itself), and more! Moderate physical activity, mental planning, and a sense of purpose contribute to this benefit.

Gardening Promotes Healthy Aging and Longevity

One of the most widely studied topics related to gardening is how it helps the elderly population in many ways. A lot of it has to do with what we have already discussed in this article. Improving stress reduction, immune system, mental health, and cognitive function are all critical to the overall quality of life for our more experienced communities. Beyond these factors, “Working in the garden restores dexterity and strength, and the aerobic exercise involved can easily use the same number of calories as might be expended in a gym.” Gardening also increases access to healthy fresh produce, which improves diet and reduces processed food consumption.

Furthermore, gardening activities help people recover from strokes better than similar movements in formal physical therapy-type settings. The list of benefits honestly goes on and on. I have linked many studies throughout this article that go into greater detail, showing just how expansive the benefits of home gardening can be. All of these factors combine to result in longer, happier, fuller lives.

As we inspect the scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of gardening, it becomes evident that this activity is more than just a hobby – it's a holistic approach to enhancing your well-being. Some medical researchers are even viewing it as an alternative to medication in some cases. From stress reduction and immune system support to cognitive function improvement and a potential impact on longevity, gardening offers many advantages for those willing to dig into the soil. So, the next time you reach for your gardening gloves, remember that you're not just tending to your plants but cultivating your own health.

Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

I am a native of Southwestern Michigan, where I also reside, and I love all things plants! I got a Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture and found the first work-from-home job I could get. Now, I spend my days writing for TLM, playing with my dog, eating delicious food with my husband, and plotting my next landscape or gardening move. I believe everyone should get down and dirty in the soil now and then. Happy Gardening!