Participating in nature-based activities including exercise, gardening, and conservation, helps improve mood and reduce anxiety for those with mental health problems.
Exposure to nature has been shown to help improve depression and anxiety symptoms. Many mental health professionals are recommending patients spend time gardening as a therapy. The main treatment benefits may be seen when a person enters a community gardening project, which helps develop social and cooperative skills, as well as providing support for those with mental health conditions.
A new study reports tidying up and greening vacant lots in urban areas, can have a positive influence on the mental health of local residents. Researchers say people who lived within quarter of a mile of greened lots had a 41% decrease in depressive feelings compared to those who lived near overgrown lots.
