As spring arrives, gardening offers more than just a beautiful outdoor space. Research shows that tending to plants can help burn calories and preserve cognitive function, reducing the risk of dementia. Experts now recommend gardening as a form of 'green prescription' for better health.
A study from the University of Edinburgh found that people who gardened showed greater lifetime improvement in cognitive ability compared to those who never gardened. Lead researcher Janie Corley explained that gardening involves complex cognitive processes such as memory and executive function, which can strengthen mental abilities in older adulthood.
In Norway, care farms are being used to help dementia patients stay active and socially engaged. Marianne Rogstad, a retired grandmother diagnosed with dementia, found renewed purpose at Impulssenter, a care farm outside Oslo. The farm's co-manager, Henriette Bringsjord, said her parents founded it to help people with dementia 'become a part of life again'.
Dr Melissa Lem, a family physician and researcher at the University of British Columbia, noted that nature prescriptions can increase physical activity and social connection while reducing stress. 'Gardening supercharges those benefits,' she said. Physical activity from gardening helps control blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight, reducing the risk of diseases that can lead to dementia.
Other studies support these findings. A 2002 study of nuns in the US found that cognitively stimulating activities reduced Alzheimer's risk. More recent research in Japan showed that meaningful activities protect against memory decline. Gardening specifically boosts brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), proteins linked to improved cognitive functioning.
