Gardening isn’t just about nurturing old plants. It’s a hobby that can also keep your brain sharp as you age, according to a recent study.
Researchers from Edinburgh University followed hundreds of Scots over nearly a century, tracking their lifestyles. They discovered that gardening could potentially guard against dementia even past the age of 80, irrespective of a person’s wealth or education.
Published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, the study suggests that the mentally stimulating aspects of gardening, which haven’t yet been fully explored, might help maintain brain function into old age.
Digging, planting, and weeding enhance brain health
Alzheimer Scotland responded positively to the study’s results, describing them as encouraging.
Gillian Councill, the charity’s executive lead on brain health and innovation, highlighted the diverse benefits of gardening. She pointed out that activities like digging, planting, and weeding can improve hand strength, which research indicates can also enhance brain health. Additionally, growing one’s own food supports a healthier diet, another crucial factor for overall well-being.
Councill also emphasized the social aspects of gardening, noting that community allotments provide opportunities for socializing and reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is beneficial for brain health.
#Gardening keeps the brain healthy in old age.. Digging, planting & pulling weeds will increase hand strength, can boost brain health. Growing your own food can help you eat a healthier diet..
Research by Edinburgh versity– published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology pic.twitter.com/rGVhdO7Gqm
— Ch.M.NAIDU (@chmnaidu) June 24, 2024
The research team collected data through a long-term study on brain function known as the Lothian Birth Cohorts.
In 1921, children in and around Edinburgh took an intelligence test at age eleven to assess their reasoning and math skills. Many years later, around the turn of the century, hundreds of these individuals were tracked down and re-tested with the same quiz at age 79. They also provided information about their lifestyles and underwent regular assessments of their brain health until they reached 90 years old.
Out of the 467 people studied, nearly 30 percent had never gardened, but 44 percent continued to garden regularly, even in old age.
The findings revealed a clear pattern. On average, the 280 individuals who gardened frequently or occasionally showed better cognitive abilities in old age compared to when they were eleven years old.
In contrast, the 187 individuals who had never gardened or did so infrequently tended to score lower on the test than they did as children.
Dementia affects nearly 100,000 Scots
Dementia is a condition in which the brain irreversibly deteriorates, leading to difficulties in memory, concentration, and problem-solving.
Currently, nearly 100,000 people in Scotland are affected by dementia, and it accounts for 13 percent of all deaths, according to Daily Mail.
Unhealthy lifestyles can increase the risk of developing dementia, but keeping the brain active and ensuring adequate sleep are believed to help delay its onset.
Dr. Janie Corley, the study’s lead author, noted that the relationship between gardening and healthy cognitive aging has largely been overlooked.
She added, “Engaging in gardening projects, learning about plants, and general garden upkeep, involve complex cognitive processes such as memory and executive function.”