I love all research that support green space and nature for anxiety and stress reduction. And I’m thrilled to see this taking a front seat in cities where people often have less access to greenery! A great example is the beautiful Central Park in New York City.
New research is reviewed in this report in Science Daily: Why green spaces in cities are good for grey matter
Walking between busy urban environments and green spaces triggers changes in levels of excitement, engagement and frustration in the brain, a study of older people has found.
Researchers at the Universities of York and Edinburgh say the findings have important implications for architects, planners and health professionals as we deal with an aging population.
The volunteers experienced beneficial effects of green space and preferred it, as it was calming and quieter, the study revealed.
Dr Chris Neale, Research Fellow, from the University of York’s Stockholm Environment Institute, said: “There are concerns about mental wellbeing as the global population becomes older and more urbanised.”
“Urban green space has a role to play in contributing to a supportive city environment for older people through mediating the stress induced by built up settings.”
You can read the study abstract here – Older People’s Experiences of Mobility and Mood in an Urban Environment: A Mixed Methods Approach Using Electroencephalography (EEG) and Interviews.
Personally I need greenery and nature and thrive on it!
How important is greenery for you? Especially if you’re a city person?