New research reveals that just five minutes spent taking exercise outside in a ‘green space’ (like a garden, park or woodland) boosts mental wellbeing.
UK researchers examined evidence from 1,250 people in 10 studies and saw fast improvements in mood and self-esteem when respondents had regular access to nature. Interestingly the effects were stronger when time was spent near water, with its ability to soothe.
Paying the Price, a report from 2007 calculated that mental illness costs will amount to £50bn by the year 2026 in England alone. Yet there is an increasing body of evidence that nature (which is free) restores mental health and wellbeing. A recent study by the University of Essex which was commissioned by mental health charity MIND compared the effects of walking round a park with walking round a shopping centre.
•90% of respondents reported increased self-esteem after the ‘green’ walk, with 44% reporting reduced self-esteem after walking around the shopping centre.
•71% of respondents were less depressed after the ‘green’ walk whereas 22% felt more depressed after the shopping centre.
•71% felt less tense after walking outside, whereas 50% were more tense after walking around the shopping centre.‘Retail therapy’ could be the greatest oxymoron of our times while the restorative powers of nature cannot be ignored. We might think we are too busy to connect with nature, but can we really afford not to?
How will you spend your 5 minutes in nature today? Watering your garden barefoot? Flying a kite? Trying to spot the birds who chirp the songs you can hear? Watching insects mating? Tiptoeing through the grass with the sun warming your hair? Noticing the direction the wind blows from? Cycling? Making a daisy chain? Hugging a tree? Stopping to smell your favourite flowers? Visiting the park? Walking your dog? Get some beautiful ideas here.
