People Living in Green Neighborhoods are Happy: Study

People living with greenery around them are happier than those who don't, according to a study.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin in Madison collected data from the Survey of Health in Wisconsin and Landsat 5 satellite. The data was used to observe the impacts of vegetation and plantation around residential areas on mental health of the people. Nearly 2,500 people of different socio-economic backgrounds living across 229 neighborhoods in Wisconsin took part in the survey and experts asked them to individually rate their levels of depression, stress and anxiety.  The study also considered other variables like age, marital status, education level, ethnicity and employment.

It was found that participants who lived in neighborhoods having less than 10 percent of greenery from trees reported having signs of depression, anxiety and stress irrespective of their age, financial stability and other factors. Poor and homeless people living on roads amidst green foliage in areas like Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest were happier than those residing in treeless blocks in Milwaukee.

Kristen Malecki, study author and assistant professor of population health sciences at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health said in a news release, "Across neighborhoods of Wisconsin, from the North Woods to the cities, the results are striking. Higher levels of green space were associated with lower symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress."

The findings add relevance to the 'attention restoration theory' which suggests that people can focus and perform better after spending sufficient time around nature. Spending enough time outdoor in greenery can bring down mental uneasiness and tension. The authors believe children can benefit by playing outside and spending time amidst nature. The present lifestyle where most of one's activities are confined indoors and in the virtual word makes children distracted and affects their attention span.

Children, teens and adults are equally susceptible to stress and depression. They often experience detachment, inability to take care of themselves or family and develop suicidal thoughts.  According to the data by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depression affects nearly one in 10 American adults.

The study suggests aforestation or planting of trees in underdeveloped suburbs to improve mental health conditions of its residents.

Malecki adds, "The greening of neighborhoods could be a simple solution to reducing stress. If you want to feel better, go outside."

More information is available in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.