Fresh air as good as cup of coffee
Psychology professor Richard Ryan for the Journal of Environmental Psychology conducted research that found that people would be more energised outdoors even if they were doing nothing.
The 20 minutes outdoors can have a mental pick-me-up because of the instantly energising powers of nature, according to psychologists. The underlying bond between the human body and the natural world serves to makes "people feel more alive" said Professor Richard Ryan, who claimed that “Nature is fuel for the soul."
His team conducted five different experiements on 537 volunteers, exposing them to a variety of situations both active and sedentary inside a building and in the open air or by a river.
Energy levels and moods throughout the day were measured as they experienced different environments and activities.
The results showed the students felt more energetic when they imagined themselves to be outdoors and a massive increase in vitality after just 20 minutes in the actual open air.