The flowers and trees that – if we are lucky enough – adorn the surroundings of our houses could be doing more good than one might imagine. According to new research from the Harvard University School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, women who live in green areas, surrounded by vegetation, have lower mortality rates than those who live in non-green areas. Which gives us more evidence that living close to nature is not only more relaxing and more positive for our mental health, but it also makes us have a longer and healthier life.
To combat symptoms of anxiety, stress or depression, experts recommend getting closer to nature. In fact, several studies have already shown that people who live in cities but have access to parks are more likely to have better mental and cardiovascular health. Something as trivial as introducing natural plants into the office has also been shown to improve productivity and overall well-being for workers.
How does nature affect mortality risk?
The scientists examined 108,630 women who participated in the US Nurses’ Health Study during 2000-2008, comparing their risk of mortality with the presence of plants or general vegetation near their homes. Vegetation levels were measured using satellite images for different periods and years. After evaluating all the data, the experts found that women who lived in green areas had a 34% lower mortality rate related to respiratory diseases and 13% less death from cancer, compared to those with hardly any vegetation in its surroundings.
“ We were surprised to see such strong associations between increased exposure to nature and lower mortality rates. We were even more surprised to find evidence that a large proportion of the benefits of high levels of vegetation seemed to be related to better mental health, ”says Peter James, study leader.
It is clear that the greener you flood your life, the better. Escaping from the car, from buildings and spending time -after work or on weekends- in a park or the field, can only bring us benefits, since as we have seen, it stimulates our mental health, increases concentration, clears our mind and … makes us live longer and better.
The study has been published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
