WHY GRASS IS THE BEST DRUG
No, not that kind. Exposure to greenery has tangible benefits and can reduce reliance on medication. So here’s your new prescription
As we become ever more urbanised and spend increasing amounts of our time indoors and online (22 hours and six hours a day, respectively), it’s easy to neglect the natural world around us.
Yet we remain inextricably a part of it – and whether it’s a
‘forest-bathing’ expedition to the Japanese mountains or a lunchtime stroll in the local park, scientists have found that exposure to green spaces has measurable benefits to your body and mind.
In a recent study by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, researchers analysed the use of prescription drugs among 16,000 city dwellers who were asked to complete a survey about their interactions with nearby green spaces. These ranged from public gardens and parks to nature reserves – easily accessible spots of nature even in a bustling city. Over the course of one summer, the scientists found that visiting such places three to four times per week correlated with significantly lower odds of requiring certain medicines. For example, habitués of neighbourhood parks had a 26% lower chance of using asthma drugs compared with those who had no exposure to greenery, were a third less likely to manage their mental health with the aid of medication and were a staggering 36% less likely to require blood pressure pills.
The precise reasons why have yet to be fully established, but swapping your gym floor for a run in the woods a few times a week is among the simplest ways of giving the green light to better all-round health. What’s more, separate studies have linked exposure to sunlight with lower systolic blood pressure readings (regardless, happily, of the temperature outdoors). Race you there?