Make sure you sleep well Burn some kilojoules
Spending time gardening every day can help you sleep
better. The physical activity required in gardening will get
you worn out and when you’re tired, you tend to sleep,
earlier and for a longer period of time. Another reason
why gardening improves your quality of sleep is its ability
to reduce stress. When you’re calm and at peace, you will
have less trouble falling asleep. Gardening can be a great workout too. In fact, one hour
of gardening can burn up to 1 255 kilojoules. That’s
the equivalent of 35 minutes of jogging. This definitely
shouldn’t come as a surprise, as depending on what kinds
of projects you are tackling in your yard, you could be
squatting, lifting, digging, or covering a fair amount of
distance walking. Maximise kilojoules burnt by mowing
the lawn, raking vigorously and doing a few squats while
gardening. Remember, the total number of kilojoules
burnt will depend on your weight, metabolism, gender,
age and muscle content too.
Keep your mind sharp
Gardening improves your brain health and provides
significant stimulation for your brain. According to
researchers, gardening also promotes learning, problem
solving and sensory awareness. Avid gardeners have
improved concentration and enhanced ability to recover
from mental fatigue.
Breathe in the scents and smells
Scent researchers found that a chemical released by
a newly-mowed lawn can make people feel joyful and
relaxed. The aroma may also prevent mental decline as
you grow older. Smelling floral scents also seems to put
us in a good mood and makes us feel less anxious.
B-Living Issue 1, 2018
Take your nutrition to the next level
Gardening is not just a fun physical activity, it also helps
you with making healthier food choices. It’s easier to
prepare meals that are healthy and good for the body
when you have fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit in your
garden. When you grow your own food, good nutrition
follows. You appreciate and savour the food more,
because you know how much effort you put in to get it
to the table. As an added bonus, the food is also organic
and free of chemicals and pesticides.
Page 16