Spending some time outdoors, especially in a green environment with flowers and trees, is a good way to get health and happiness. Studies have shown that while walking in the park encourages you to exercise, it can also relieve tension, stabilize blood pressure and heart rate, and improve mood.
A recent study published in the Journal of International Environmental and Public Health Research showed that a person who spends only 30 minutes in the park, even if he does not walk, is enough to promote physical and mental health.
The scientists’ research was conducted on 94 adult volunteers in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. There are three parks near Birmingham. These 94 volunteers often go to one of the parks to play. The research lasts from summer to autumn. Scientists wore smart bracelets to volunteers to monitor their activities, but did not tell them what exercises they must do or how long they would spend in the park. Each volunteer also answered some questions as required, including their life satisfaction and emotional state, which were used to evaluate the changes in their personal happiness index before and after they went to the park.
The average time that these volunteers stayed in the park was 32 minutes. Although only 30% of them did physical activity in the park, 60% of the people’s happiness index improved after staying in the park. Researchers say that just staying in a green environment is enough to become an opportunity to change a person’s quality of life.
Health experts generally believe that, under normal circumstances, physical exercise that can increase your heart rate is good for your health. At the same time, a large number of studies have confirmed that exercise can improve mental health, while outdoor exercise is more effective.
It is for these reasons that some doctors prescribe outdoor activities for patients. These natural treatment prescriptions recommend that patients spend 1 hour a week on outdoor activities, such as playing tennis or football, or going to a nearby park to get some fresh air. The doctor will write these natural treatment prescriptions into the patient’s electronic health record. Experts believe that the park is not only a place for recreation, but also a place where doctors can write prescriptions and promote the physical and mental health of patients. Robert Zack, a Washington pediatrician, created the “American Park Prescription” website in 2017. The purpose is to make it easier for medical staff to prescribe parks to patients, especially those suffering from obesity, mental illness, high blood pressure and type 2. Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes.
In addition to the normal drug prescriptions, if the doctor feels the need, he will prescribe natural treatments for the patient. Doctors encourage patients to participate in outdoor activities and use what people often call “free drugs” to improve their health.
