Gardening is a great way for anyone to reconnect with nature and get a little exercise while they’re at it. For seniors, the benefits of gardening are plentiful.
Getting your hands in the dirt has a magical way of recharging your body. The best thing about tending to a garden is that you get to see and enjoy the physical manifestations of your labor.
Gardening is incredibly rewarding on a physical and mental plane. Take a moment now to further investigate the benefits of gardening for seniors.
Gardening keeps seniors active
Gardening is an activity that can really get every part of your body moving. Planting, weeding, pruning, and watering all take a concerted effort.
Studies show that the average person can burn up to 300 calories per hour of light gardening. The best thing about the exercise you get in the garden is that most of it is low impact on your body, so you aren’t placing too much strain on your body during this activity.
Gardening can be a social booster
You might think gardening is a solitary activity, but that is changing. Community gardens are popping up all over the country.
Some of the best assisted living facilities are adding gardening to their activities list, because it gives seniors a great excuse to meet others.
Working together to grow fruits, veggies, and herbs produces a cozy bond of teamwork, and you get to have a good meal when harvest time arrives.
Being around plants is therapeutic
The mere presence of plants in a room has been proven time and again to have a positive mental health effect on humans. Think about it.
It’s tradition to give flowers for a wedding, a funeral, a surgery, and many other occasions. The purpose is always to add cheer to the situation.
Maybe the extra fresh oxygen production is a contributor to the good vibes. Golden Pothos, Dracaena, and Peace Lilies are all great to keep inside for boosting happiness.
Benefits of being in the sunshine
Being out in the sunshine can be incredibly helpful for mental and physical health. Your body needs the vitamin D offered from the sun’s rays, but you can’t forget to protect yourself from the not so good parts of the sun’s rays.
An adequate supply of vitamin D in the body can help boost bone and teeth health, insulin regulation, lung function, and even cardiovascular health. Get out in the sun, just don’t forget to use sunscreen and dress accordingly.
Dirt grants a little immune booster
Giving your immune system a leg up grows more important as you age. Seniors need all the help they can get, and gardening can provide a little immunity advantage.
Digging in the dirt may seem a little dirty, but there’s a common element present that really offers the boost you need.
Mycobacterium vaccae is a bacteria that is found in garden soil, and it has been proven to improve the human immune response. This bacteria has even been linked to soothing the symptoms of allergies, asthma, psoriasis, and even depression.