Green spaces boost mental health-especially in busy cities. A new study from Leiden and Stanford University reveals how nature benefits urban well-being and offers low-cost ways to make city life healthier for everyone.
By 2050, 70% of the global population is expected to live in cities. By then, mental health issues linked to urban living - such as anxiety and mood disorders - are becoming increasingly important. A new study from Stanford's Natural Capital Project (NatCap) and Leiden University shows that even brief time in nature can ease these mental health challenges. The results, published in Nature Cities, offer guidance to urban planners, policymakers, and others for how to use greenspace as a mental health solution, one that comes with additional benefits like lowering temperatures and reducing carbon.
Further investigating the link between nature and mental health
'Previous studies have documented strong links between contact with nature and mental health,' says Anne Guerry, chief strategy officer and lead scientist at NatCap and senior author on the paper. 'But with most studies, you either can't infer a causal link, they can't be easily generalised, or they aren't designed to distinguish the effects of different types of nature. This analysis helps fill that gap.'
Interestingly, simply sitting or resting in green spaces reduced negative mental health outcomes more than being active
The researchers analysed data from nearly 5,900 participants across 78 field-based studies, including randomized controlled trials and pre-post intervention designs. All forms of urban nature improved mental health, but urban forests stood out-especially for reducing depression and anxiety. Young adults see even greater benefits, which is notable given that most mental health conditions begin before age 25. Interestingly, simply sitting or resting in green spaces reduced negative mental health outcomes more than being active, though both boost positive feelings like energy and alertness.
Leiden researcher Roy Remme says: 'Our results show that even brief contact (less than 15 minutes) with nature can provide significant mental benefits. What's more, longer nature exposure (more than 45 minutes) is linked to even greater reductions in stress and boosts in vitality.'
Based on their findings, the researchers recommend not only protecting large city parks and forests, but also adding smaller "pocket parks" and more street trees to improve access through cities. Simple changes-like more windows facing greenery, quiet nature-filled spots, or community programmes such as guided park meditations-can also offer meaningful mental health benefits. These are low-cost ways to support public health in cities.
'It's not just good for cities - it's good for us'
At the personal level, Yingjie Li, postdoctoral scholar at NatCap and lead author of the study, has found that doing this work has improved his own lifestyle. He walks to the office more frequently and finds he is more curious about birds and plants he encounters along the way. 'I also share these experiences with friends and encourage them to notice how even small moments with nature can make a difference. This work has helped me see that urban nature isn't just good for cities - it's good for us.'
Publication and follow-up study
Roy Remme, assistant professor at the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Leiden University, contributed to the initial idea of doing this analysis, which originated a few years back when he was doing his post-doc at Stanford. Remme: 'Thanks to Yingjie Li, it finally happened.' Remme and PhD candidate Yuanyuan Mao contributed significantly to the study, and are also conducting a follow-up study with this dataset.
