With so many people moving from the country to big cities, it almost doesn’t make sense that leaving the city will make you happier, yet the research overwhelmingly supports this notion.
The Coronavirus pandemic has meant that many of us have spent more time inside this year than any other time in our lives. Yet, even before Covid-19 hit, many people were spending more and more time inside buildings or commuting, and less time in the outdoors. In fact, more than half the global population lives in an urban environment and doesn’t go outdoors much – most American’s spend 90 per cent of their time indoors! According to recent research, this could be impacting your happiness levels.
Now, I get it, you might not be able to go far because of COVID-19. That’s fair. But if you can get out of the city, it could have significant impacts on your happiness.
Here are 4 reasons why leaving the city will make you happier.
1. Spend Time by the Sea and in the Sun
A recent study by the London School of Economics and Political Science showed that spending time by the sea makes people happier. It also showed that just being outdoors makes you happier — preferably in a non-urban environment, but hey, we’ll take what we can get!
“People recorded the highest levels of happiness in marine and coastal locations, followed by mountains and moors, forests and farms,” said University of Sussex’s Dr George MacKerron, who undertook the study in conjunction with the LSE.
2. Plan a Holiday
Holidays are great, we all know that — take them whenever you can! But according researchers from the Netherlands, the biggest boost in your happiness comes not from the vacation itself, but from the act of planning the vacation. They studied the happiness levels of 1,530 Dutch adults and found that anticipation of a holiday boosted happiness levels for 8-weeks.
“Vacations do make people happy, but we found people who are anticipating holiday trips show signs of increased happiness, and afterward there is hardly an effect,” said the lead author, Jeroen Nawijn, tourism research lecturer at Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.
3. Get out Into Nature and Find Some Trees
A study of 585 Japanese young adults found that being in nature for only 15-minutes can have a positive effect on our moods. The participants were divided into a forest or city group and instructed to go for 15-minute walks. Those who walked in the forest saw decreases in their negative feelings, such as anxiety, fatigue and depression. They also experiencing an increase in positive emotions.
“The psychological benefits of walking through forests are very significant, and forest environments are expected to have very important roles in promoting mental health in the future,” according to the authors. “The beneficial effects of nature suggest a simple, accessible, and cost-effective method to improve the quality of life and health of urban residents.”
4. Forest Bathing
In 1982, Japan launched a national program to encourage forest bathing – or shinrin-yoku. Forest bathing does not involve swimming naked in a forest (as I originally thought!). Instead it means walking through a forest mindfully and taking in all the sights, sounds, touch, smells and tastes of your environment. It’s about emerging yourself in your surrounds. And it has been proven to reduce stress levels and anxiety, while improving mood, memory, attention and positive outlook.
“Wherever there are trees, we are healthier and happier,” said medical doctor and researcher Qing Li, and author of
Finally, for those of you who truly can’t get out of your city in the current environment, Li says that infusing essential tree oils in your home can provide benefits. Related reading: 5 Ways to Recharge When You’re too Stressed Do you have ideas for leaving the city that make you happier? Tell us below in the comments! Like this article? Please share it on social or subscribe!