A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology suggests that gardening may help older adults maintain mental clarity later in life.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland found that tending to a garden later in life is associated with “small but detectable cognitive benefits.”
The long-term study followed participants until age 90, as they shared details about their lifestyle and completed “frequent assessments” of their thinking skills.
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The 1921 Lothian Birth Cohort study followed people born in the Edinburgh area from the age of 11. Participants took periodic intelligence tests known as the 1932 Scottish Mental Survey.
They found that people who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “significant lifelong cognitive improvements.” (St. Petersburg)
Hundreds of participants took the same test at age 79.
Of the 467 participants, 31% had never gardened and 43% gardened regularly.
The results showed that 280 people who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “significant improvements in cognitive performance over their lifetime compared to those who never or rarely gardened.” I did.
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Between the ages of 79 and 90, the participants’ overall cognitive abilities, including memory, problem-solving skills, and verbal fluency, declined, but the researchers found that “the gardener’s early advantage persisted.” I discovered it.

The results showed that 280 people who gardened frequently or occasionally showed “significant improvements in cognitive performance over their lifetime compared to those who never or rarely gardened.” I did. (St. Petersburg)
“Identifying behaviors that promote healthy cognitive aging is of great public interest for preventing cognitive decline and dementia,” study co-author Dr. Janie Corey said in a press release. said.
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“Gardening is an important leisure activity in late adulthood,” she said. “Participating in gardening projects, learning about plants, and general garden maintenance involve complex cognitive processes such as memory and executive function.”
She added: “Consistent with the ‘use it or lose it’ framework of cognitive function, increased engagement in gardening may be directly associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.” He continued.
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Anti-aging expert Dr. Aza Halim noted that gardening has been studied as an anti-aging activity for older adults, offering physical, mental and emotional benefits such as longevity and cognition. .

Experts point out that “It is important to engage in physical and social activities to maintain youthfulness.” (St. Petersburg)
Gardening also counts as a form of “low-impact exercise” that benefits heart health and circulation, the doctor added.
“It not only provides mental stimulation to reduce cognitive decline, but also promotes mental and emotional well-being, relaxation, and anxiety reduction,” she said.
“At any age, it’s important to engage in physical and social activity to maintain a youthful appearance, and to prevent high blood pressure, depression, weight gain, and cognitive decline in later life. It becomes even more important.”
“Participating in a gardening project…requires complex cognitive processes.”
The researchers say their study proves a direct correlation between gardening and improved cognitive performance, as factors such as available greenery and social interaction may have influenced these results. I pointed out that it was not possible.
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This research is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Office of the Chief Scientist at the Scottish Executive Health Service.
Fox News Digital has reached out to researchers for comment.