Image created by blog author, Isabelle Lim using Canva
Did you know that 1 in 7 Singaporeans suffer from an anxiety of depressive disorder and 1 in 16 have had a major depressive disorder in their lifetime? When ranked globally, Singapore has the highest rates of obsessive compulsive disorders. The results of the 2016 Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS) sheds light on the pressing need to address mental health issues pertaining to anxiety disorders. What if the solution could be found in establishing more green spaces? A study conducted by researchers from Philadelphia found that gaining access to green spaces significantly reduced symptoms of depression in residents living near these areas. Conditions of local neighbours influence the wellbeing of its residents. People living in areas where there is a low standard of cleanliness (e.g.: streets are littered with trash dirty, dilapidated infrastructure, lack of parks) tend to show higher depressive symptoms and greater stress levels. Conversely, people living near green spaces send to have lower stress levels and better health outcomes. Thus green spaces are a buffer between mental wellbeing and neighbourhoods conditions. High quality green spaces such as parks are especially beneficial for health. Parks with water features and great biodiversity is correlated to better health outcomes.
Being in a green space also serves as a mood booster. There’s just something so soothing about being surrounded by nature. Researchers found that watching scenes of nature increases feelings of safety and induce a sense of calmness. It also reduces blood pressure, slows down heart rate thus making us feel relaxed. Not to mention green space serve a social purpose, it is a place for communal gathering. Social interaction, such as chit chatting with friends, brought about by being in green spaces serve as mood boosters. After all we are social creatures and research has shown that social interactions buffers against stress and connecting with others triggers release of dopamine.
Could green spaces also make you smarter? Green spaces also improve cognitive functioning and creativity. Living closer to green spaces increases the likelihood that one exercises. Enhanced levels of physical activity have been closely linked to improved cognition therefore exercise potentially mediates the relationship between green spaces and cognitive functioning. Exposing school children to green spaces is also beneficial for improving working memory and attention span. These perceived cognitive benefits could be accounted for by the Attention Restoration Theory which asserts that nature plays a restorative role in replenishing cognitive resources that have been used up during the demands of daily life.
The Singapore government has been effective in keeping our neighbourhoods polished through the ‘Keep Singapore clean movement” that encourage care and responsible use of the environment. Not to mention there is an emphasis on enhancing our green landscape by establishing neighbourhood parks and park connectors across the island. The government has made it their goal for nine in ten homes to be within 10 mins walk from a park by 2030, and to increase the area of park connectors to reach 400km. Even in urban landscaping and designing, careful consideration has been made to plant different species of vegetation to mimic the tiered structure of a rainforest. By bringing greenery right to our doorstep, it safeguards the mental health of our citizens. You can read more about this study here!