A physical workout in the garden is said to help you feel younger. Researchers in a recent study reckon that tending your garden exercises the brain, giving you more energy and a “zest for life”.
Over-50s who enjoy digging, planting and pruning are more likely to be organised and optimistic than non-gardeners. They have healthier lifestyles and eat more vegetables, whether or not they grow them.
Previous research has shown that gardening is one of the best ways of keeping active in later life. But among the less well-known benefits is that people who garden feel they have a better quality of life.
Researchers from two universities in Texas analysed the activity and attitudes of almost 300 men and women over 50, splitting them into gardeners and non-gardeners.
Using a psychological index called the Life Satisfaction Inventory, they found that 71 percent of gardeners did not “feel old”, compared with 57 percent of non-gardeners.
They also felt more energetic and got more daily exercise, with three times as many non-gardeners considering themselves “physically inactive”. But there are cerebral benefits too, according to studies published in the specialist journal HortTechnology.
Those with a taste for gardening are more likely to plan and organise a diary for the coming months, showing them to be more mentally active.
There were higher scores for general “life satisfaction”, and keen gardeners were more likely to eat fresh vegetables than non-gardeners, suggesting that the outdoor habit can influence healthy eating.
Lead researcher Aime Sommerfeld said: “These factors, in conjunction with higher physical activity, result in healthier lifestyles and increased quality of life.
“There is strong evidence that gardening can be an effective way for older adults to increase life satisfaction while also increasing physical activity. In a time when older adults are living longer and enjoying more free time, gardening provides participants with opportunities to reconnect with themselves through nature and a healthy activity to enhance their quality of life.”
It is thought that exercise may stimulate an upbeat mood in depressed people by stirring up neurotransmitters to release endorphin, the calming brain opiate, and by helping to keep up supplies of the “feel good” brain chemical serotonin.
It is also possible that exercising makes people feel they are taking an active role in getting better rather than feeling helpless. – Daily Mail