Living next to a green area favors the intellectual capacity
Choosing where to install a home is a very difficult decision. There are few factors that must be taken into account when someone raises this issue: nearby schools, shopping areas, noise levels or the proximity of Parkland. In relation to this last point, living next to a park not only reports aesthetic benefits, it also has a great influence on the health of people.
It is always better to breathe in an area populated by trees than in another where cement and asphalt are the predominant note. Now, a new study reveals a new advantage of living next to a green area: improves the cognitive capacity of people. This revelation is what the Institute of Global Health has done, ISGlobal, after analyzing the data from three European cities: Barcelona, Doetinchem and Stokeon Trent.
Less cognitive fatigue
This study analyzed the effects long-term of one type of residence or another, of how it influenced the fact of living in a downtown residential area or in the outskirts. After analyzing the mood and mental health of the residents of several areas in the three cities mentioned, the researchers concluded that living in areas further away from the green areas increased the chances of stress.
The increase in stress, causes a mental fatigue that in the long run makes the individual more prone to suffer some kind of mental illness and see their abilities reduced in this sense. To see how the remoteness of a green area affected these mental abilities, the researchers had these individuals perform a test called Color Trail.
As it increased in 100 meters the distance of a green area, the participants had a 1.5% more chance of failing in this test because of the decline in their cognitive abilities. An investigation that reveals the importance of the environment in the development of children.
Other benefits of green areas
Living next to a green area not only improves cognitive ability, it also has other important Benefits. Valuing to live next to one of these areas is a good decision for people for reasons such as the following:
- Increases the possibilities of exercising. Living close to a green zone activates the metabolism and predisposes to exercise. In addition, you will always be more motivated to go out and do sports.
- It makes people happier. Having a tree front and not another building makes people more likely to smile.
- It enhances sleep quality. The absence of noise in the green areas means that people can better sleep.
- Air quality improves. Breathing the air that comes from a green area is always better than the one in the center of the cities, where the circulation of vehicles increases the pollution of the air.
Damián Montero
