New Research Finds Time Spent Among Trees Might Help Kids' Brains Grow And Develop
A long-term study among 3,568 students in London, between the ages of 9 and 15, has found those kids who spent more time near woodlands showed improved cognitive performance and mental health in adolescence.
On the other hand, other natural environments, like grasslands or lakes and rivers, didn't appear to have the same impact.
"These findings contribute to our understanding of natural-environment types as an important protective factor for adolescents' cognitive development and mental health and suggest that not every natural-environment type may contribute equally to these health benefits," the authors write.
It's not the first time researchers have found a curious connection between the presence of trees and the human state of mind.
In the United States and Denmark, nationwide epidemiological studies of children have shown green spaces in residential areas are linked to a lower risk of mental health issues later in life.
In the United Kingdom, similar studies have found children living in greener city neighborhoods have better spatial working memory.
Why that remains is a mystery. Enriched environments are known to shape the human brain, but it's still unclear why green spaces – and especially trees – seem so impactful to young minds. ...
Yet, like several studies on this topic that have come before, this new one in London has its limitations. ...
A paper published in 2019 argues that while children who grow up surrounded by greenery do score better than their peers on cognitive tests, it doesn't necessarily mean trees are to thank. Socioeconomic factors can also play an influential role in child development, and we might be conflating the two. ...
