5 Wellness Benefits of Spending Time in Your Garden
Spending time outdoors, especially in green spaces, is one of the fastest ways to improve your happiness and health, both physically and mentally. As specialist suppliers of artificial grass in the UK, we know that having a garden space of your own provides a tranquil place of peace and comfort – there’s nothing better than spending some quality downtime from the comfort of your own garden.
We’ll get into the ‘how’s’ and ‘why’s’ shortly, but here are a few of the key benefits of spending time outside in your garden:
- Reducing stress
- Encouraging physical exercise
- Increasing social interaction
- Improving mental wellbeing
- Taking a break from work
These past two years have been challenging to say the least, and many have found that spending time outside and in their garden has played a positive part in maintaining their mental and physical wellbeing.
We all tried to spend more time outside, when we could in lockdown, and having a usable outdoor garden area in our home to relax and unwind has become something extremely important and sought after for many, and for good reason too.
Not only are outdoor spaces great for outdoor activities, but doing things we would normally do inside such as reading a book or exercising can also have more positive effects, just by being outside.
See below some benefits spending more time in your garden can have on your wellbeing…
1. Reducing stress
Spending just 20 minutes of your day in your garden will significantly reduce stress levels and thus contribute to your happiness! There are a number reasons why spending time in your garden can reduce stress, but some of the key points are that the vitamin D exposure that comes with being outdoors makes us feel great physically, which in turn improves our mental wellbeing, while getting outside also helps to reduce cortisol, which is the hormone linked to those sweaty palms, mental fogginess, and high heart rate we all feel during times of stress.
2. Encouraging physical exercise
Whether that is going for a run in the park, following a Joe Wicks video, or dabbling in some garden yoga, exercise will boost your endorphins. Here at Namgrass, we cater our product range to suit all manner of projects, from luxury artificial grass gardens, to artificial grass golf greens and football pitches – something like the Namgrass Kirkstall product would be the best of both worlds here, being neat and durable, while still having a long enough pile height to give it that natural look and feel under the foot.
3. Increasing social interaction
Many people find comfort in nature when they interact with animals, friends, and family. Being outdoors can also help people in making new connections. Even if it’s just inviting the neighbour round for a cup of tea, being outdoors and enjoying the fresh air promotes a calm, relaxed atmosphere, perfect for conversation. Perhaps you’ve got an old decking or paved socialising area that you want to add a little vibrancy to? Look no further than our artificial grass installations – we’ve got just the thing.
4. Improving mental wellbeing
As we’ve discussed, green spaces can be the antidote to stress, which research has linked to depression and anxiety, owing to the body’s inflammatory stress response. So, not only should you generally make sure to get outside and use your garden as much as possible, but, when you’re feeling stressed or anxious about something, remember to utilise the fresh air of your garden as a tool to help you relax, in addition to professional medical and psychological advice of course.
5. Taking a break from work
With the recent shift for many towards a more work-from-home-based lifestyle, we’re now making use of our gardens more than ever. There’s nothing like relaxing and de-stressing on your lunch break in the comfort of your own artificial grass garden… Close the laptop, and take a moment for yourself.
In fact, on a nice afternoon you could even take your work outside for a few hours – there’s nothing like the fresh air and sunlight to give you a little perspective on things.
If you need a little help creating your outdoor green oasis, then maybe consider an artificial grass installation. Artificial grass is a quick way to transform any area which is neglected and unused, into a brighter space to relax and unwind!
If you’re not fortunate enough to have your own yard or garden area, then don’t worry! Our artificial grass is the perfect solution to add some life to your balcony, paving, or decking area! Why not order some free artificial grass samples today?
You might find some inspiration in our blog post on Small Garden Design.
If you’re in need of some advice, we can help you with transforming your garden into one you can enjoy 365 days a year, with a fake grass lawn. Please get in touch, we’d love to help!
