Having a rough day? It will only take five minutes to cure it, a study has revealed.
Researchers from the University of Regina, Canada, have found that our mood can be improved by spending just five minutes in nature.
The study, which was conducted on 123 university students, found that being in an urban park for five minutes inspired more positive emotions than being in a windowless room. While negative emotions were lowered in both situations within a few minutes, spending time out in nature encouraged more significant improvements in the participants’ mood.
“There are two important take-homes,” one of the study’s co-authors, Katherine D. Arbuthnott, told PsyPost.
“The first … when you need an emotional boost, the fastest and easiest way is to spend a few minutes with nature. Actually, being outside is the best, but even contemplating a picture of a natural scene will make a difference.
“The second is that, since contact with nature is so beneficial to our emotional health, preserving our local natural spaces is an important public health goal.”
The trick works for the time-poor, as five minutes is all that is needed. The study discovered that increasing the contact time with a natural environment to 15 minutes did not increase the mood benefits markedly.
If the weather's not allowing for an enjoyable time outdoors, you can try socialising. According to a 2014 study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, chatting with a friend or family member for five minutes could do wonders to your mood as well.
What's your trick to deal with a bad mood? Share your tips in the comments.
This article was written in partnership with Over60.