What 30 Minutes of Gardening Does to Your Body, According to Exercise Scientists

Any gardener can tell you: Creating and caring for a verdant patch of plants is not a passive activity. Wrestling with ornery weeds, raking up leaves, and spreading mulch are all good ways to work up a sweat—consider it Mother Nature's very own gym. But does it really count as exercise? We spoke with horticulture therapy experts and exercise scientists about the benefits of getting down and dirty in your flowerbed or vegetable patch—and they all agreed: Gardening is great for the body, mind, and spirit. Ahead, learn about the benefits of gardening that can be achieved in as little as 30 minutes a day.

Lowers Risk of Disease

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classifies general gardening as "moderate intensity" exercise, along with activities such as water aerobics and doubles tennis. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that adults engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week for substantial health benefits. Broken down by day, that's 30 minutes to an hour, five times a week.

According to the HHS, these benefits include: "Lower risk of all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Physically active adults also sleep better, have improved cognition, and have better quality of life."

Steven Blair, who was a professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina and coauthor of Active Living Every Day, agrees, saying that like traditional forms of exercise, gardening 30 minutes five days a week has been shown to lower risk for heart disease and several cancers, and helps maintain good function as the body ages.

"Gardening has all-around physical benefits in terms of cardiovascular, muscle, and bone health," says Melissa Roti, professor and director of the exercise-science program at Westfield State University in Massachusetts. Tasks that are strenuous enough to leave a gardener feeling slightly winded, such as pushing a hand mower or raking, will improve cardiovascular fitness.

Regarding bone health, research suggests that individuals who engage in heavy, weight-bearing gardening activities, such as raking and digging, may have higher bone density than those who do not, according to Amy Wagenfeld, adjunct assistant professor at Western Michigan University's Department of Occupational Therapy and author of Therapeutic Gardens: Design for Healing Spaces.

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Reduces Stress

While a rabbit eating all of your carrots may not feel soothing in the moment, gardening overall is an excellent way to calm your mind. While research shows that almost any moderate exercise reduces stress, gardening may offer an added benefit. "Working and being in green spaces provides cognitive rest that can help reduce feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety," says Roti.

Barbara Kreski, former director of horticultural therapy services at Chicago Botanic Garden, agrees. "It really always seems to go back to stress," she says. "You can logically say that being outside disrupts that ‘hamster wheel of thoughts' that we see related to stress."

Simply enjoying a patch of green, even from afar, can be therapeutic. When Texas A&M University researcher Roger Ulrich compared hospital records of patients recovering from gallbladder surgery, he found that those whose rooms had a view of nature recovered more quickly than those who looked out at a brick wall.

According to Kreski, this is because "looking at nature gives our brains a rest from intense cognitive function," or the brainpower we exert on our daily tasks. "Nature is an easy thing for our senses to perceive and take in—you can look at a tree and you don't have to figure out anything," says Kreski.

How long does it take to relax and let go of stress once someone steps outside? "Certainly less than twenty minutes," says Kreski. "In that time, physiological markers like sweat, cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure drop to normal ranges."

If you don't have a green thumb, Kreski recommends starting with a plant that has high sensory appeal. "Something like an herb starter kit from the grocery store is great for beginning gardeners," she says. In fact, research has found that Interaction with indoor plants may indeed reduce psychological and physiological stress.

And don't take it too personally if a plant withers and dies. "Plants are meant to die," she says. "Move on, don't sweat it. If you compost that plant, you're nurturing the next one, not losing anything."

Boosts Your Social Life

For individuals who have limited interactions with others, gardening can create a sense of fulfillment that helps stave off loneliness. "It can lead to a self-perpetuating, positive cycle, because the more you feel good about the gardening you are doing, the more motivated you are to keep doing it and trying new aspects of gardening," Diehl says.

It's also a wonderful way to make and bond with new friends—and yep, that's good for your health, too. The CDC notes that social connection can help reduce the risk of chronic disease and serious illness, such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression, and anxiety.

Contact your local branch of the National Garden Clubs and the Garden Club of America to connect with fellow gardeners. "They have very localized clubs," says Kreski, so you're likely to find one that focuses on your area of interest. You can also look for local clubs on social media or join a nearby community garden. Additionally, botanical gardens and cooperative extensions may offer classes where you can learn new things and meet new people.

And then there's the best-and easiest-way to meet new people: Be in your garden often. "If you're in that space between your house and the sidewalk or street, that makes you available for social contact," Kreski says. "It's a lot like being on a front porch."

Improves Your Diet

If you're a fruit or vegetable grower, there's the obvious advantage: You get to eat your harvests. Spending 30 minutes a day in an edible garden is enough time to create an ample produce haul—gardening is a simple way to get more nutrients in your diet. "If you grow your own produce, your own herbs, and vegetables, you have more control because you have the opportunity to grow a healthy diet," says Wagenfeld. "For people who don't have ready access to fruits and vegetables, that's life-altering."

Parts of this article were excerpted from a previous story published on this site, entitled "Here's How Gardening Benefits Your Health."