A new study published in the American Chemical Society's "Environmental Science & Technology" says just five minutes of "green exercise," such as a walk in a park, working in a backyard garden or hiking on a nature trail will benefit your mental health.
Jules Pretty and Jo Barton, of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Environment and Society and Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Essex in Colchester, England, define green exercise as "physical activity in the presence of nature." Previous studies have shown that outdoor activities decrease the risk of mental illness and improve self-esteem, but until now, there were no specifics on how much time you should spend with nature to reap these rewards.
The authors analyzed 1,252 people of different ages, genders and mental health statuses, during activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming. Results showed that, although everyone benefitted in some way from the green space, the greatest health changes occurred in the young and mentally ill participants.
"So we believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise," Barton said.
Pretty also noted that all natural environments were beneficial, but green areas with water seemed even better for health. Overall, the study showed that the largest positive effect on self-esteem came from a five-minute dose.
"We know from the literature that short-term mental health improvements are protective of long-term health benefits," Pretty said.
