Working overtime? Well so are your stress hormones!
Green space in residential settings is associated with various factors related to physical and mental health. These include better general health, mood, and attention capacities, as well as reduced anxiety, aggression and crime.
A recent research study on deprived communities in Scotland aimed to investigate whether the amount of available green space is also associated with stress hormone levels. The study found that participants who had more green space available to them showed lower levels of stress hormones and reported that they experience lower levels of subjective stress.
Green spaces are also important as they promote physical activities (walking, cycling) and social contact, both of which are associated with better health. This study is interesting as it shows how the environment one lives in, and specifically the availability of green space, can impact stress levels.