Spending time outdoors has proven to be quite beneficial for the mind and body. But now, there's research to back up this fact. A major study conducted by the University of East Anglia confirmed that there were “significant and wide-ranging health benefits” from spending time outdoors and living close to nature. “Spending time in nature certainly makes us feel healthier, but until now the impact on our long-term wellbeing hasn’t been fully understood,” lead author of the research said.
“We found that spending time in, or living close to, natural green spaces is associated with diverse and significant health benefits,” he said. “It reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death, and preterm birth, and increases sleep duration. People living closer to nature also had reduced diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and stress. In fact, one of the really interesting things we found is that exposure to green space significantly reduces people’s levels of salivary cortisol – a physiological marker of stress."
“This is really important because in the UK, 11.7 million working days are lost annually due to stress, depression or anxiety,” he added. They concluded by stating that, “people living near green space likely have more opportunities for physical activity and socialising”. Stay tuned for more updates.
