How walks in the park help keep your memory sharp

GREEN spaces are not only good for our mental health, they slow cognitive decline, say scientists.

Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health monitored 6,500 people aged 45 to 68 over ten years, testing verbal and mathematical reasoning, verbal fluency and short-term memory. They found people in neighbourhoods with green spaces had a 4.6 per cent smaller decline in score compared with those in more built-up areas.

It’s thought green spaces have this effect because they encourage physical activity and social interaction while reducing stress and exposure to pollution.