Reduces Chronic Stress By 17 Percent
The key finding of the study was that participants living within half a mile of a green or blue space had a 17 percent lower risk of experiencing serious psychological distress compared to those living further than half a mile. They also found serious psychological distress affected 1.3 percent of those living within half a mile of parks and water compared to 1.5 percent of those living further away. One member of the research team, Solmaz Amiri, explained, saying, “Since we lack effective prevention methods or treatments for mild cognitive impairment and dementia, we need to get creative in how we look at these issues. “Our hope is that this study showing better mental health among people living close to parks and water will trigger other studies about how these benefits work and whether this proximity can help prevent or delay mild cognitive impairment and dementia.” Their study didn’t assess how much time people need to spend in nature to benefit. But an earlier British study did look at this issue and came up with a specific number of minutes per week.120 Minutes Is All You Need
Using data from nearly 20,000 people, the research team found people who spend at least 120 minutes in nature a week - whether in a single visit or over several shorter visits - are significantly more likely to report good health and higher psychological well-being than those who don’t spend any time in nature at all. But here’s the thing, if people visit parks, woodlands, or beaches for fewer than the 120 minutes per week, the study shows that they wouldn’t see a benefit to their health. Dr. Mat White, of the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the study, said: “The majority of nature visits in this research took place within just two miles of home so even visiting local urban greenspaces seems to be a good thing. Two hours a week is hopefully a realistic target for many people.” Co-author, Professor Terry Hartig, added: “There are many reasons why spending time in nature may be good for health and well-being, including getting perspective on life circumstances, reducing stress, and enjoying quality time with friends and family.” I couldn’t agree more. So, for the sake of your memory, get outside today and visit a park or take a walk next to a stream, river, lake or ocean. And then do the same thing again tomorrow. Best Regards, The Awakening From Alzheimer’s Teamhttps://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/980427 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3
