Urban Green Spaces Improve Mental Health and Productivity
(1) Are Urban Green Spaces the Hidden Key to Mental Wellness?
Central Park, Manhatttan, New York
Cities are growing fast, but so is urban stress. According to UN, 68% of the global population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050.
Though people can find solace in public green spaces like Central Park, green coverage in urbanized areas is still very much limited, due to urban plannning purposes and development that prioritize manufacture efficiency and business. Looking out from the windows of highly populated skyscrapers, it calls us to think about the mental health cost of city living.
(2) The Mental Burden of Urban Living
- “Urban residents are 21% more likely to experience anxiety and 39% more likely to develop depression (WHO, 2022 & 2025).”
- A research paper published on Nature that elaborates on the interconnection and co-influence of urbanization and mental health problems proposed a model, explaning how urbanized lifestyle, with limited open, natural spaces and less neighborhood interaction leads to mental and even physical health issues.
Urbanization, Loneliness and Mental Health Model
(3) How Can Green Spaces Bring Mental Relief?
- University of Exeter (2015): People within 300m of a park report 30% higher life satisfaction.
- Stanford (2015): 50-min nature walks reduce activity in the brain's “rumination” region linked to depression.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Study (2021): City areas with more vegetation have 25% lower suicide rates.
Research findings
As quoted,
"Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself." ———Henry David Thoreau
A chance to truly get in touch with nature is indispensable, and one of the most healing way to ease your mind and find your soul.
(4) The Productivity Boost
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2017): Employees in green-certified buildings showed 26% higher cognitive scores.
- University of Melbourne: Viewing natural scenes for 40 seconds improves attention span by 8%.
- Companies with biophilic design report lower absenteeism and 15% more engagement.
More research findings!
Green Office
Let's all design a healtheir future together, starting from green office to pocket parks or rooftop gardens, collaborating to bring nature back into the city.