Prescribing Time in Nature

Researchers are encouraging doctors and health professionals to prescribe nature. A recently published article has highlighted improvements in anxiety, depression and blood pressure due to time spent in green spaces.

"Prescriptions encouraging people to spend more time in nature are linked to reduced blood pressure and improvements in anxiety and depression symptoms, according to new analysis. Doctors sometimes use nature-based social prescription programs – sometimes described as “green prescriptions” or “blue prescriptions” – to advise patients to spend time in green spaces or near bodies of water".

You can read the full Guardian article by clicking here.

The Skill Mill offers employment which is primarily outdoors. Our Northumberland team are working in partnership with the Northumberland Rivers Trust on a project which focuses on river systems and habitat improvement works.

According to the article, Prof Thomas Astell-Burt said “You go out for a walk out in a green space which helps with fitness – that also helps to improve your mental health, reduces loneliness, improves sleep, and can also help to reduce one’s blood pressure." In addition to the team spending time outdoors, the areas they are focusing on throughout the project will be improved for use by the wider community.