A study from King’s College London has revealed that environments featuring diverse natural elements significantly enhance mental wellbeing compared to those with less natural diversity. Published in Scientific Reports and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Wellcome, this citizen science investigation utilised the Urban Mind smartphone app to gather real-time reports on mental wellbeing and natural diversity from nearly 2000 participants.
The research identified that settings enriched with various natural features such as trees, birds, plants, and waterways correlate with more significant improvements in mental health. These effects can endure for up to eight hours. The analysis further indicated that approximately one-quarter of nature’s positive impact on mental health could be attributed to diverse natural features. These findings underscore the benefits of policies and practices that foster biodiversity for environmental conservation and public mental health.
Lead author Ryan Hammoud, Research Assistant at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, underscored the profound significance of the study’s findings:
“This study represents a pioneering effort in examining how encounters with different levels of natural diversity in everyday life contexts influence mental health. Our findings underscore the importance of safeguarding and promoting natural diversity to maximise the mental health benefits of exposure to nature. Practically, this calls for moving away from heavily curated monocultural spaces like manicured lawns and parks towards environments that emulate the biodiversity of natural ecosystems. By demonstrating how natural diversity enhances our mental wellbeing, we provide a compelling rationale for creating greener and healthier urban areas.”
The study was conducted between April 2018 and September 2023 and involved 1,998 participants who completed over 41,000 assessments. Each participant submitted three daily assessments over two weeks, detailing their surroundings and responding to questions regarding their mental health. Natural diversity was quantified based on the presence of four key elements – trees, plants, birds, and water – in their immediate environment.
Data collection was facilitated through the Urban Mind app, a collaborative effort between King’s College London, landscape architects J&L Gibbons, and the arts foundation Nomad Projects. The Urban Mind project, a testament to the power of collaboration, received funding from the Wellcome Climate Impacts Award, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London.
Senior author Andrea Mechelli, Professor of Early Intervention in Mental Health at the IoPPN, emphasised the broader implications of the findings: “Amidst the backdrop of climate change, there is an alarming decline in biodiversity both in the UK and globally. Our results underscore the critical role of biodiversity not only in sustaining natural environments but also in promoting the mental wellbeing of those inhabiting these environments. It is imperative to recognise that biodiversity offers mutual benefits for planetary and human health and should be viewed as essential urban infrastructure.”
This study contributes significantly to understanding the intricate relationship between natural diversity and mental health, advocating for policies prioritising biodiversity conservation to foster healthier urban environments.
More information: Ryan Hammoud et al, Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals an incremental association between natural diversity and mental wellbeing, Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55940-7
Journal information: Scientific Reports Provided by King’s College London
