The Role of Natural Environments in Reducing Urban Stress and Improving Mood

The global population, especially in the developed world, is rapidly becoming increasingly urban. As cities expand, exposure to the beneficial characteristics of nature decreases. Many recent studies indicate that visiting green spaces and being exposed to natural environments can help reduce psychological stress, and enhance mood state and health. However, few investigations have addressed the question of whether these attributes are uniformly distributed across green areas, and they have typically used the biophysical nature of the environment as a nominal, binary measure of "naturalness". Accordingly, this study explores this question to advance current understanding of the inexpensive yet effective design and management of the urban environment for improved human health and well-being.