Spending two hours a week in nature is good for health

Spending two hours a week in nature is good for health

Who does not like to spend time in nature? But the number of hours you spend in nature may be significant to how it benefits your well-being. A recent study has claimed that spending at least two hours a week in nature may boost health and well-being.

AgenciesUpdated: Sunday, June 16, 2019, 10:01 PM IST
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Just married couple, holding hands and walking in nature |

Washington: Who does not like to spend time in nature? But the number of hours you spend in nature may be significant to how it benefits your well-being. A recent study has claimed that spending at least two hours a week in nature may boost health and well-being.

The study published in the journal ‘Scientific Reports’ found that people who spend at least 120 minutes in nature a week are significantly more likely to report good health and higher psychological wellbeing than those who don’t visit nature at all during an average week. However, no such benefits were found for people who visited natural settings such as town parks, woodlands, country parks and beaches for less than 120 minutes a week.

Dr Mat White, who led the study, said, “It’s well known that getting outdoors in nature can be good for people’s health and wellbeing but until now we’ve not been able to say how much is enough.” “Majority of nature visits in this research took place within just two miles of home so even visiting local urban greenspaces seems to be a good thing. Two hours a week is hopefully a realistic target for many people, especially given that it can be spread over an entire week to get the benefit,” White added.

There is growing evidence that merely living in a greener neighbourhood can be good for health, for instance by reducing air pollution.Co-author of the research, Professor Terry Hartig said, “There are many reasons why spending time in nature may be good for health and wellbeing, including getting perspective on life circumstances, reducing stress, and enjoying quality time with friends and family.”

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