November’s Action Item Is . . .
Spend More Time In Nature
According to numerous articles, including one from Springer Nture (https://www.nature.com/articles/srep28551), some of the benefits of spending time in natural habitats include:
- Reduced blood pressure
- Reduced risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease, and
- An improved mood
According to a research article from The University of Queensland, if people spent just half an hour in their local park each week, cases of depression could decrease by 7%(https://news.uq.edu.au/2016-06-24-dose-nature-just-what-doctor-ordered).
UQ CEED researcher Associate Professor Richard Fuller said the research could transform the way people viewed urban parks.
“We’ve known for a long time that visiting parks is good for our health, but we are now beginning to establish exactly how much time we need to spend in parks to gain these benefits,” he said. “We have specific evidence that we need regular visits of at least half an hour to ensure we get these benefits.”
“Our children especially benefit from spending more time outdoors. Kids who grow up experiencing natural environments may benefit developmentally and have a heightened environmental awareness as adults than those who don’t.”
