Whether park, green space, or beach
Scientists in England have found that people who spend between 2 and 5 hours a week in nature report being in better health and well-being, even when controlled for neighborhood, wealth, health conditions, and the number of trips that were required.
About The Study
20 Thousand people in England were surveyed about their exposure to nature in 60 minute blocks within the last week, and asked to comment on their health and well-being. Factors such as socioeconomic status, neighborhood, city, long-term health issues, ethnicity, and age were controlled for.
The Results
The researchers found that those who reported recreational exposure to nature above 2 hours were of significantly better well-being than those below 2 hours, and that the benefits leveled off above 5 hours. It didn’t matter whether the exposure was in one longer block, or broken up into shorter blocks throughout the week. It also didn’t require a hiking or camping trip, as a majority of the reported exposure happened within two miles of home.
How Do I Use This?
Get outside! Whoever you are, wherever you live, get out among the trees, get down to the beach and take in what’s around you. We’re lucky enough to live in a place with abundant access to nature. Virginia Beach alone has 3 million trees, almost 300 parks, and the longest pleasure beach in the world.
From the city’s site:
Virginia Beach is home to 293 parks and park facilities, encompassing over 7,000 acres, including neighborhood and community parks, metro parks, signature parks, natural areas, waterway accesses, trail linkages, open space preservation areas and park athletic facilities. Each park is unique and offers something for everyone, from wide open spaces to playgrounds, picnic shelters, and ball fields.
Theories abound for why getting out into nature is so good for you, but it may be that doing so allows you to leave behind your stresses and anxieties because you’re forced to take in the activity in your surrounds in the same way that practicioners of mindfulness exercises look, listen, and feel what’s around them.
So do yourself a favor and get out among our millions of trees during the week, and stroll along the beach on the weekend.
Share This Story
Virginia Beach Is One Of The Safest Cities In The Country Again
To find the safest places in the US they compared 182 cities using…
Most Read
More Stories
Virginia Beach Ranked the 11th Most Neighborly City in America
Choosing the perfect place to retire is a major decision,...
Chesapeake Is One Of The Top US Cities For Remote Work
The proliferation of high-speed internet in the last decade has...
Virginia Beach Among Top 10 Cities for Outdoor Enthusiasts
They examined 95 of the largest U.S. cities across a range of livability, employment, and outdoor…
Chesapeake, VA: The 27th Best City for First-Time Homebuyers
As millennials increasingly enter the housing market, they’re looking for places that…
Virginia Governor Gives State Of The Commonwealth Address
State Of The Commonwealth 2021 video.
Virginia Beach Attractions – Museums and Historic Sites
In addition to marvelous beaches in Virginia Beach, the City is a home to many sites of historical importance, and has 18 sites on the National Register of Historic Places.
Virginia Beach Is The 4th Best City For First-Time Homebuyers In 2022
They compared 181 cities using twelve different metrics divided into four categories: home market favorability, affordability, livability, and employment.
Tony Hawk Coming To Virginia Beach Jackalope Festival
The Jackalope Festival is June 2-4
