It is no secret that life in Singapore is extremely fast-paced and stressful. With the education system often compared to terms or metaphors such as being a ‘rat race’ or a ‘pressure cooker’, an increasing number of students are bogged down with depression and anxiety. Adults, on the other hand are often plagued with poor work-life balance, having to answer emails and calls way past standard working hours. As such, there has been a significant increase in mental health disorders in the recent years. The latest Singapore Mental Health study conducted in 2018 showed that 1 in 7 Singaporeans has experienced a mood, alcohol or anxiety disorder in their lifetime! In fact, with 1 in 28 Singaporeans are affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Singapore has one of the highest rates of OCD when compared across cities globally!

As researchers continue to explore the influence of green settings on well-being, a growing pool of evidence is already highlighting a positive correlation between access to green spaces and mental well-being. Even though causal relationships are difficult to be determined at this point of writing, correlational evidence pinpoints effects of stress reduction and relaxation provided by green spaces. More often than not, they generate feelings of vitality and restoration, providing a peace of mind for individuals. In a very recent study by Warwick, a strong positive correlation between the proximity of green spaces around one’s home and a person’s feelings of life satisfaction, happiness and self-worth was discovered. Green spaces are thus effective places to escape from an overwhelming and stressful world.

What is worth taking note of is the impact of such spaces on children’s mental health. A ground-breaking study conducted in Denmark has shown that children surrounded by green spaces growing up have up to 55% lower risk of developing a mental disorder, even after controlling for other risk factors such as socio-economic status (SES0 and known family history of mental illness!

Step out, immerse yourself in green spaces and experience for yourself the benefits it brings!

 

(Up next: Disconnect to Connect)