Going Green: Lasting Mental Health Benefits Found in Parks and Gardens

For many of us living in urban areas, finding the solace of a green space may be more difficult to come by than you think-especially if you're living next to a subway station or on a busy street. Yet a recent study encompassing data from the British Household Panel Survey shows just how important environmentally-friendly areas are to the body and the mind.

After researchers analyzed data that followed study participants over a five-year-period, they found that moving to a greener area not only improved these individual's mental health, but also continued to affect them long after they had moved.

Study authors note that this is one of the first cases to examine the effects of green space over time, and how this particularly affected individuals living in households across Great Britain.

Using data from over 1,000 participants, researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School focused on two groups: those who moved to greener urban areas and those who relocated to less green urban areas.

Study results showed that, on average, those living in the greener areas experienced more positive mental health that was sustained for at least 3 years after they moved. For those who relocated to less environmentally-friendly areas, they suffered a drop in mental health, which interestingly occurred prior to moving . However, researchers note that it returned to normal once the move was complete.

"We've shown that individuals who move to greener areas have significant and long-lasting improvements in mental health," lead study author Dr. Ian Alock said, via a press release. "These findings are important for urban planners thinking about introducing new green spaces to our towns and cities, suggesting they could provide long term and sustained benefits for local communities."

More information regarding the study can be found via the journal Environmental Science & Technology.