The benefits of two hours of walking a week were the same for all groups: men and women, young and old, rich and poor, urban and rural residents. “This suggests that the results are associated not only with chance: there is a likelihood that people who were often in nature were simply initially healthier.
We noticed that even those with long-term illnesses spoke of better health and well-being if they spent 120 minutes a week in nature, ” said lead author of the study, Matthew White.
Of those who spent little or little time outdoors, a quarter reported poor health and nearly half said they were not satisfied with their lives. And only a seventh of those who spent at least two hours a week in nature said that their health was poor and a third were not satisfied with their lives.
In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, scientists analyzed data on 20 thousand British. Respondents were asked about their health status, how much they are generally satisfied with their life, and also how much time they spend a week in nature.
By the time spent in nature, scientists equated any activity: it is not necessary to walk and move, you can just lie in a hammock.
Nevertheless, scientists note that the results may not be entirely accurate due to the fact that the study was conducted in the form of a survey. It is likely that people do not remember exactly how much time they spent outdoors last week, or are nervous when they tell their interviewers about their health.
Challenge of the day: plant a plant at home or in the office
Scientists recommend having at least one potted plant per 9.2 square meters of your apartment’s area in order to feel how life is changing for the better. But if until you are ready for this, get at least one plant in each room of your house. What will it give you?
1. The air in the apartment will be cleaner
One medium sized indoor plant in a standard 4 x 5 meter room improves air by 25%. Thanks to plants, the air in the apartment becomes more humid, dust in it becomes much less.
As a result of one of NASA’s experiments, it was revealed that indoor plants can clean the air of volatile organic compounds harmful to humans (such as formaldehyde and benzene). Moreover, the surface area of the leaves affects the speed of air purification: the larger the leaves of the plant, the better.
More recent studies have shown that microorganisms in the soil of indoor plants also play a role in cleaning indoor air.
2. Your health will be better
Interaction with indoor plants will help you cope with stress and relax after a long mental load (for example, working at a computer). But that is not all.
One study found that interacting with houseplants can help cope with high blood pressure.
3. The interior of your apartment will become more stylish
Indoor plants are important not only for the psychophysiological health of a person: in interior design they play an important role in space planning. Plants help organically fill empty corners and piers, soften straight lines and angularity of furniture, help to introduce an additional color into the interior.
Graphics and minimalism are in fashion now, so you can pay attention to large leaves and geometric shapes of flowers. There is even such a separate item from designers: “graphic plants”. These are some types of palm trees, monstera, ficus, indoor trees. The popularity of these plants is sometimes attributed to fashion in the 70s and 80s.
