hands holding fresh garden vegetables

Study: Regular Gardening Improves Mental and Physical Wellbeing

Whether you took up gardening during the pandemic or have been a lifelong cultivator, we have good news for you — a recent study found that the outdoor hobby may do wonders for your wellbeing, mental health, and overall life satisfaction.

April 29, 2021 | Source: Optimistdaily.com | by The Optimist Daily

Whether you took up gardening during the pandemic or have been a lifelong cultivator, we have good news for you — a recent study found that the outdoor hobby may do wonders for your wellbeing, mental health, and overall life satisfaction.

According to the study, conducted by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), people who garden daily have wellbeing scores 6.6 percent higher and stress levels 4.2 percent lower than those who do not garden at all. It takes only two to three gardening sessions per week to reap these healthy benefits.

“This is the first time the ‘dose response’ to gardening has been tested and the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the more frequently you garden — the greater the health benefits,” said study lead author Dr. Lauriane Chalmin-Pui. “In fact gardening every day has the same positive impact on wellbeing than undertaking regular, vigorous exercise like cycling or running.”