Nature is good for mental health

A new Stanford University-led study, which examined nearly 450 separate studies, found that spending just 15 minutes a day in nature significantly improves mental health. "Our findings confirm that even brief exposure to nature provides significant mental health benefits," said lead author Prof. Yingjie Li.

The study found that spending more than 45 minutes a day outdoors significantly reduced stress and increased vitality. Young adults were found to benefit more from spending time in nature than the general population. This was a critical finding, given that most mental health disorders emerge before the age of 25.