Science Reveals — Spending 2 Hours a Week in Nature Makes you Happier —

Research results claim that happiness and well-being are greatly affected by our natural environment, stating that...

Wondering in nature by Alexandr Podvalny

Recent scientific report investigates the influence of the natural environment on humans and whether it is a catalyst for better health and well-being of the individual when he spends time around it.

Researchers using data from a representative sample of the adult population of England(n=~20.000) examined associations between recreational nature contact in the last seven days and self-reported health and well-being.

Results

• Compared to no nature contact last week, the likelihood of reporting good health or high well-being became significantly greater with contact ≥120mins.
• Positive associations peaked between 200–300mins per week with no further gain.
• The pattern was consistent across key groups, including older adults and those with long-term health issues.
• It did not matter how achieved 120mins of contact a week (e.g., one long vs. several shorter visits/ week).
• Living in greener urban areas is associated with lower probabilities of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma hospitalization, mental distress, ultimately mortality among adults, and lower risks of obesity and myopia in children.
• More significant quantities of neighborhood nature are also associated with better self-reported health, and subjective well-being in adults, and improved birth outcomes, and cognitive development in children.
• Individuals who spent between 1 and 119mins in nature in the last week were more likely to report good health or high well-being than those who said 0mins.
• However, individuals who reported spending ≥120mins in nature the previous week had consistently higher levels of both health and well-being than those who reported no exposure.

Research Results (Time spent in nature in respect to good health and better well being)

Table Experiment Results (Duration and its impact on good health and well being)

Conclusion

Wrapping up, the scientific report tentatively suggests, that 120 mins of contact with nature per week may reflect a kind of “threshold”, below which there is insufficient contact to produce significant benefits to health and well-being, but above which such benefits become manifest.

The current results also suggested that it did not matter how the “threshold” was achieved. This may be because individuals selected exposures to fit their personal preferences and circumstances. For instance, some may prefer long walks on the weekend in locations further from home; while others may prefer regular shorter visits to parks in the local area.

Conversation Note

How much time per week do you spend on nature? Have you noticed any difference in your life? A green park near your house counts too!

Let me know in the comments!

Sources

• Hartig, T. & Kahn, P. H. Living in cities, naturally.
• Kardan, O. et al. Neighborhood greenspace, and health in a large urban center.
• Alcock, I. et al. Land cover and air pollution are associated with asthma hospitalizations: A cross-sectional study.
• Mitchell, R. J., Richardson, E. A., Shortt, N. K. & Pearce, J. R. Neighborhood environments and socioeconomic inequalities in mental well-being.
• Mitchell, R. & Popham, F. Greenspace, urbanity and health: relationships in England.
• Frumkin, H. et al. Nature contact and human health: A research agenda.
• Natural England. Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment: the national survey on people and the natural environment.
• White, M. P., Pahl, S., Wheeler, B. W., Depledge, M. H. & Fleming, L. E. Natural environments and subjective wellbeing: Different types of exposure are associated with different aspects of well-being.
• Spending at least 120minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing Mathew P.White, IanAlcock, JamesGrellier.