Want to feel better? Get outside!

A new study from N.C. State University underscores what we at the TurfMutt Foundation have been saying for years. Even small urban green spaces can significantly improve mental health.

To conduct the study, researchers asked more than 100 people to wear noise-canceling headphones and sit in a green area or in a busy urban environment. While they sat, the headphones played either traffic sounds or bird song. Participants were asked to report on their stress levels and how they felt after the experiment. Those who listened to the birds while sitting in green space reported a higher level of “restorativeness” – with positive emotions increasing and negative emotions decreasing.

To learn more about the many benefits of green space on our physical and mental well-being, visit TurfMutt.com and check out TurfMutt's International Backyarding Fact Book.