Gardening to Boost Mental & Physical Health
Gardening to Boost Mental & Physical Health
Gardens and gardening make us feel better – that’s a fact – and the real magic is that anyone, anywhere can enjoy their healing power. Here’s how to find your way with gardening and some stories from people whose lives it has changed for the better.
Gardening has a long and connected history to science and medicine. For centuries gardens have been a source not only of food on the table but also remedies to treat common ailments. Some of these, such as St John’s wort for depression and willow for headaches, have been embraced by modern science. But what about the benefits of gardens and gardening themselves? Are they proven, and if so, how can we make the most of them?
It is increasingly acknowledged that gardens and green spaces are associated with better physical, social and mental health(1). British physician Sir Muir Gray famously said that everyone needs a ‘Natural Health Service’ as well as a National Health Service.
The question still remains as to how we embed gardens and gardening into daily life for everyone. The NHS has, since January 2019, officially included social prescribing in its Long Term Plan(2). As the population ages and healthcare costs spiral, social prescribing and preventative healthcare will likely take on renewed importance.
There is an opportunity for gardening to play a central role in improving our nation’s mental health and wellbeing; currently the RHS is undertaking research to better understand how to maximise on the health benefits of gardening.
It’s common knowledge that exercise is good for you. The NHS considers it essential to living a healthy and fulfilling life and it’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Physical and mental illnesses associated with our increasingly sedentary urban lifestyles have a growing economic and social cost(3).
But lesser known is the role that gardening can play in helping to keep you fit and healthy. Gardeners might be delighted to learn that the number of calories burnt from 30 minutes of gardening(4) is comparable to playing badminton, volleyball or practising yoga.
However, as with any physical activity, like running or weight lifting, there is the potential for injury if done incorrectly. The RHS has embarked on research with Coventry University to better understand how common garden practices like digging can be done with minimal muscle strain. Using technology more commonly found on Hollywood film sets we’ve been examining, for the first time, the loads exerted on the body’s joints, bones and muscles to help people enjoy gardening and digging for longer.
The benefits of being in the garden run much deeper than just exercise. A King’s Fund report on the health benefits of gardening were found to be broad and diverse, with research studies showing significant reductions in depression and anxiety and improved social functioning. Gardening can also help maintain independence and prevent cognitive decline. Tokyo and Exeter Universities also found robust evidence for the positive effects of gardening on health, calling for governments and health organisations to promote gardening.
This research, specific to gardens and gardening, is increasingly supporting what we know about green space(5) in general – which includes private gardens as well as urban parks, national parks and areas of wilderness.
To read more on this subject, visit the RHS website post on Health and Well Being.