Exercise in green space promotes mental health

Just 5 minutes exercise in "green space" such as a park or nature trail is sufficient to boost mental health, and is particularly beneficial for young people and people affected by mental illness according to a study published in the Environmental Science and Technology Journal. 

The study looked at the results of 10 studies involving 1252 people to try to establish the optimum "dose" of exercise.  Surprisingly, the study found that just 5 minutes activity in green space was sufficient to boost mental health, but the impact of exercise (while still positive) tapers off after 5 minutes.  Although the results seem consistent across studies, the authors caution that none of the 10 studies were randomised control trials and that as such, further research is needed in this area.

Controvertially, the authors (and some commentators) refer to the activities in the study - boating, cycling, fishing, horse riding and walking - as "treatments" or "therapies".  In a post credit-crunch world, the idea that these "treatments" might be available via the NHS while patients face restricted access to medicines and psychological therapies will also cause some eyebrows to raise.

The study suggests that all of us should find five minutes a day to walk in a local park, and that our employers should encourage us to do so.  They also call on town planners to take more account of the positive impact of access to green space on public health.