How 5 Minutes Of Green A Day Will Keep The Doctor Away

Famous Architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed houses that blended in with the surrounding environment. His most amazing piece of architecture, Fallingwater pictured on the right, was a house build into a waterfall. I highly recommend visiting Fallingwater, as it is even more spectacular when you see it in person. It seems that Frank Lloyd Wright had the right idea in designing his houses, as new research described by BBC News reveals that as little as 5 minutes of exercise in the green outdoors can boost your mental health.

Previous research has shown that exercising outdoors can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve the sense of well-being. University of Essex researchers Jules Pretty and Jo Barton are the first to show that as only 5 minutes of exercise is needed for the improvement.

Pretty and Barton compared outdoor activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding, and farming in parks, gardens, or nature trails among 1,250 study participants. The strongest impact was seen among young people and the mentally ill. While longer periods of exercise in a green environment clearly resulted in positive effects, the highest impact on mental health was seen within the first five minutes. Those who exercised near a body of water, such as a lake or a river, saw even greater benefits to their mental health.

So imagine waking up in a place like Fallingwater, going down the stairs straight into the waterfall bellow, and taking a quick 5-minute swim before heading to work. However, since most of us do not have the option of living in Fallingwater, consider taking a quick 5-minute walk in a nearby park during you lunch hour at work – this will significantly reduce any stress that you feel. Summer is here, so there should be plenty of outdoor exercise opportunities that you should consider including into your everyday or even weekend exercise routine. Think of how much money this will save you on mental illness doctor visits and drugs in the long run.

What’s your favorite outdoor activity?