One of the joys of cycling is riding along a quiet country road, surrounded by nature, enough to put a smile on a bike rider’s face on even the most miserable of days. Now, a new study has found that as little as five minutes’ exercise in a green environment can provide a significant boost to mental health.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, was led by Professor Jules Pretty of the University of Essex and found that undertaking activities such as cycling or walking in a natural setting led to rapid improvement in mood and self-esteem.
Researchers surveyed 1,250 people of all ages in ten studies, with subjects taking part in outdoor activities including cycling, walking, horse-riding, fishing, boating and farming.
They discovered that the greatest boost was seen among young people as well as those who are mentally ill, with the biggest difference observed within just five minutes. While those exercising for longer in a green environment also benefited, the gains were smaller in scale, according to the study. The impact was also higher among those taking part in exercise in an area with water, such as a river or lake.
Professor Pretty, who has written extensively on the importance of people’s relationship with nature, was quoted by BBC News as saying that people who led stressful or inactive lifestyles or suffered from mental illness were best-placed to benefit from “green exercise.”
"Employers, for example, could encourage staff in stressful workplaces to take a short walk at lunchtime in the nearest park to improve mental health," he said, adding that outdoor exercise could also benefit young offenders, for example.
However, he cautioned that "a challenge for policy makers is that policy recommendations on physical activity are easily stated but rarely adopted widely."
Meanwhile, Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, the mental health charity, said that the study provided further proof that even a little exercise in a green environment could be used as a cost-effective way of improving mental wellbeing without resorting to drugs.
"It's important that people experiencing depression can be given the option of a range of treatments, and we would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate," he added.
For those calling out the lawyer's "defence", it is worth pointing out that he was charged with murder, and so his intentions and mindset are far...
Possibly some training instead though.
Not a clue what you're on about...
The strongest brand in cycling for a long time imo, a lot of respect for what Rapha did. It's not everyone's thing but the quality of presentation...
If you can afford a £3k bike, you can probably afford to pay a real bike mechanic enough to set it up that they won't turn it down just because it...
TBF it's all for views innit....
I've never understood why Rorshach tests always use pictures of squirrels fighting
So does that mean that Something Will Be Done if I submit clips showing me being inconvenienced and held up all the f-ing time by nose to tail...
The bike hangars in Bristol and other places have no chevrons. Also, the ones on skips and lorries are red and yellow, these look red and white.
Shouldnt this say - after forcing Stages into bankruptcy, waiting 9 months for the products to die, Giant has bought the remaining distressed...