Why Gardening May Save Your Life

Gardening and housework may save your life, a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests.

The report determined these activities are as good as exercise, cutting the risk of a heart attack and stroke and prolonging life by as much as 30 percent in individuals 60 and older.

The researchers looked at nearly 4,000 individuals living in Stockholm, Sweden, all 60 years old, tracking their cardiovascular health for more than 12 years. Each person was asked about their daily activities, including gardening and car maintenance, in addition to whether they had engaged in any formal exercise. A series of lab tests and physical examinations were used to evaluate blood fats and sugars, and other factors affecting general cardiovascular health.

When the study started, those who led an active life exhibited a much lower risk profile for cardiovascular problems, regardless of the amount of formal exercise they carried out, in comparison to those with low levels of daily activity. Among other things, they typically had smaller waists and lower levels of potentially harmful blood fats.

This was also true for those who weren't routinely physically active but engaged in frequent formal exercise. Those who exercised frequently and were also physically active had the lowest risk profile of all.

By the end of the study, 476 had undergone their first heart attack and 383 had died from a variety of causes. Meanwhile, those with the highest level of daily physical activity had a 27 percent lower risk of a heart attack or stroke and a 30 percent reduced risk of death from all causes when compared to those of the lowest level. This was true regardless of the amount of regular formal exercise.

"Our findings are particularly important for older adults, because individuals in this age group tend, compared to other age groups, to spend a relatively greater proportion of their active day performing [routine activities] as they often find it difficult to achieve recommended exercise intensity levels," the authors said in a statement.

As to the biological reasons behind this, the researchers propose two theories. One has to do with the fact that prolonged sitting drives down metabolic rates to the absolute bare minimum, while standing up and physical activity increase it. The other has to do with muscular contractions, and the fact that sitting down doesn't require any muscular effort, which may hinder the skeletal muscle's normal hormone production, negatively affecting other body organs and tissues.