It’s better to exercise in a park than in the gym. Just five minutes of exercise outdoors is good for physical – and mental – health, a new study has discovered. ‘Green exercise’ – as the researchers call it – reduces the risk of mental illness and improves people’s overall sense of wellbeing. They assessed the mental and physical health of 1,252 people who did any sort of exercise outdoors – from walking, cycling, gardening, fishing and horse-riding – and discovered they all benefited. Green areas that had water had an even bigger impact on wellbeing. Best of all, say the researchers, the benefits could be seen after just five minutes in the great outdoors. (Source: Environmental Science & Technology, 2010; doi: 10.1021/es903183r).
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