Spending time in contact with nature is beneficial for mood, anxiety, mental ruminations and even cognitive and physical performance, explains a researcher, with supporting studies.
- Spending time in nature promotes positive feelings like happiness and optimism, while reducing negative emotions like anxiety and sadness.
- It also improves cognitive performance such as memory and attention.
- Nature finally acts on our body. Spending time outside, even just 15 minutes, can reduce blood pressure and resting heart rate.
During the week, the average person in the UK spends just 7% of their time outdoors, or around 86 minutes per day. And it’s pretty much the same thing in France. This figure, although surprising, reflects our busy schedules which limit our possibilities to enjoy the open air but also our leisure activities which are too sedentary and “indoor”.
However, spending time outside, especially in green spaces, has many benefits for mental and physical health. According to an article published in The Conversationeven 15 minutes a day is enough to improve mood, concentration and physical well-being.
A mood booster and stress reliever
The link between nature and mood is one of the most proven in health studies, explains researcher Yvanna Todorova of Loughborough University in England. Spending time in nature promotes positive feelings like happiness and optimism, while reducing negative emotions like anxiety and sadness. It also reduces ruminations, those negative thoughts that go around in a loop. Not to mention, nature provides neutral ground for enriching social interactions – especially if you have a dog to walk.
A simple hour-long break outdoors can take away the daily stresses of work and to-do lists, restoring our ability to overcome them. While a 75-minute walk in the forest shows the best effects, even a simple walk in a city park or along a green street can be enough to improve well-being.
Cognitive and physical benefits
Nature breaks don’t just benefit your mood: they also improve cognitive performance, notes Yvanna Todorova. Studies show that people perform better on tasks related to memory and attention after observing natural landscapes compared to urban landscapes. At the office, even 10 to 15 minute breaks in a green space increase concentration. And, if going outside is impossible, working in an environment with indoor plants can also make a difference.
Nature finally acts on our body. Spending time outside, even just 15 minutes, can reduce blood pressure and resting heart rate. One study showed that participants who spent 80 minutes resting in nature before a cycling test had better endurance than those who spent their time in an urban environment. So, even if you don’t train outdoors, working out in a park before your cardio session could well optimize your performance.
