Gardening is often regarded for its therapeutic abilities and health benefits. Most people can agree that taking a mental break from the world and spending time with nature can put you in a better mood, but there is actually scientific evidence of the health benefits of gardening and spending time outdoors.

Improved Attention Span

A recent study out of the University of Michigan entitled ?The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature? provided supporting evidence of the relationship between nature and Attention Restoration Theory. In ART, your direct (or involuntary) attention is used when you're crossing the street or working. Things that actively require you to pay attention are using up your direct/involuntary attention span, and i certainly a ?finite resource that can be fatigued.

The study found that walking through natural environments like a garden or nature path gives your direct attention span a chance to recuperate and will actually help replenish them. This is because you are using your voluntary attention span instead of your involuntary one when you are surrounded by the intriguing stimuli in nature. The intriguing stimuli in nature requires your voluntary attention slowly and effortlessly, giving your attention span a break. So, next time you're having trouble concentrating, try taking a walk outside to let your brain relax.

Reduced Stress

While your attention span is being refueled, your stress levels can also be reduced by simply gardening or spending time in nature. In fact, evidence supports gardening to be a more effective stress-reducer than other forms of quiet activity. A study came out of the Netherlands investigating this, and conducted experiments with two groups of people. Both groups participated in a stressful activity, and then one read quietly while the other gardened for 30 minutes. The results showed that the group who gardened reported better moods and had lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Reduce Symptoms of Depression

There is a field of plant science called horticultural therapy, which is being introduced into some mental health hospitals because of the profound effect nature has on individuals with symptoms of depression. Additionally, a study out of Norway conducted an experiment with a group of people diagnosed with depression and studied their change in mood after gardening six hours per week. After three months, half of the subjects reported an improvement in their symptoms. Supporters of horticultural therapy also like to point out that mostly everyone who wants to can go outside and garden when they please, and i more cost-effective than medications.

Getting Back to Nature

A theory out of the University of Colorado at Boulder claims that humans evolved alongside harmless bacteria found in soil, and the lack of contact we have nowadays with them can have a negative effect on our health. There?s something about people reconnecting with dirt and nature that can bring an almost inexplicable sense of calm and relaxation to some. The great thing is you don't need to be very skilled or experienced to go on a walk through a park or to plant some flowers.

Emily Kaltman writes for The Grass Outlet in Austin, Texas. She enjoys writing about nature and having a green thumb.