Gardening: here’s how and why it can replace physical exercise

There are those who take him lightly and treat him like a simple man hobby. Nothing could be more wrong: gardening – several studies say soit has nothing to envy of the most renowned physical activities. According to experts, in fact, spending time between pots, soil and pruning offers benefits at least 4 health benefitsnot unlike those of a workout in the gym…

Cardio-gardening

If it is true, that the cardio it’s any movement that increases the heart rate and makes us breathe more heavily, this also applies to gardening, especially for more sedentary or slightly older people. A 2023 study from the company proves this Penn Statewhich found that adults aged 65 and older who garden have a cardiovascular health better than those who don’t get their hands dirty. Carrying bags of soil and plants, squatting and standing raise your heart rate. And it’s a way of training the Respiratory System asking him to make more effort. Furthermore, being on the move is good for your health blood circulation.

green weights

We don’t pay attention to it, but gardening also means doing movements like constantly pushing, pulling, squatting and bending: all actions that, with the added weight of the soil and gardening equipment, resemble functional exercises, which according to experts, can help us keep our joints agile and reduce the likelihood of falls and other injuries.

Mental well-being

Gardening also boasts a number of mental health benefits. Firstly, it increases awareness: focusing on the activity to be carried out in the garden or vegetable garden makes us be concentrate on the present moment, as in mindfulness meditation. Above all, as a hobby, the gardening it is also a social activity and works as a stress reliever, as stated by a study from a few years ago.

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Fresh air

It is no coincidence that more and more mental health experts recommend it the green exercise – i.e. outdoor physical activity – for its positive effect on mood. The reason? It turned out that people who spend more time outdoors tend to have stronger health, just like those who train, according to what a 2019 study published in Nature states. But be careful: to obtain the benefits of gardening you need to spend at least 120 minutes a week in nature. A figure not that far from the 150 minutes of physical activity recommended by the WHO guidelines.

 
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