Nature and Mental Health
Stressed out? An ocean view may be a powerful prescription for decompressing, study finds.
Video Transcript:
If you really need to decompress this weekend, you may want to head to the beach!
A new study finds having an ocean view leads to less stress. Researchers surveyed adults about their residential location and mental health. They also reviewed topographical maps. The results? Increased visibility of so-called “blue space” was associated with lower levels of psychological distress. But the same was not true of “green space.” One of the study authors says, “It could be because the blue space was all natural, while the green space included human-made areas, such as sports fields and playgrounds….”
She says future research could look at whether native forests and fresh water lakes also provide the benefits of better mental health.
I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV…with the news doctors are reading – health news that matters to you.
