"The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the more frequently you garden, the greater the health benefits," Lauriane Chalmin-Pui, the lead author of the study said.
Gardening can improve your well-being and reduce stress levels, new research suggests.
The new study published in the journal "Cities" by the Royal Horticultural Society in collaboration with the University of Sheffield and the University of Virginia, reveals that people who garden every day have well-being scores 6.6% higher and stress levels 4.2% lower than people who do not have gardening incorporated in their daily routine at all.
"The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the more frequently you garden, the greater the health benefits," Lauriane Chalmin-Pui, the lead author of the study told Science Focus.
“In fact gardening every day has the same positive impact on well-being than undertaking regular, vigorous exercise like cycling or running."
The study also found that those who garden are simply motivated by the pleasures of the activity rather than for the purpose of improving health.
Gardening just two to three times a week could maximize an individual's health benefits.
The research was conducted electronically and included 5,766 gardeners and 249 non-gardeners within the UK. Participants were asked to rate their stress levels and well-being. Just under 30% say they garden for the health benefits.
Chalmin-Pui added, “We hope all the millions of new gardeners will be getting their daily doses of gardening this week and feeling all the better for it.”
