A Finnish study adds striking evidence to something many of us intuitively know: contact with urban nature isn’t a luxury, it’s a Public health strategy with measurable mental and physical health benefits. It’s no surprise that researchers around the world are no longer just tracking whether people experience anxiety or depression, but why these conditions are rising — and what cities can do about it.
What did the Finnish study find?
Researchers analyzed responses from more than 16,000 residents in Helsinki and the surrounding area. They found that people who visited parks, community gardens, forests, or other green spaces three to four times a week had significantly lower use of prescription drugs compared to those who visited less than once a week:
- 33% lower odds of using medication for anxiety, depression, or insomnia
- 36% lower odds of use of hypertension medication
- 26% lower odds of using asthma medication
What really stood out was that the strongest benefits were seen among lower-income residents, suggesting that access to green space could help reduce health inequalities — not just medication use. Prescription drug use was used as a proxy for ill health, meaning people spending more time in nature tended to rely less on medications for mental stress and cardiovascular conditions.
Why this matters now
These findings land at a time when mental health challenges are increasing worldwide:
- Nearly 1 billion people worldwide live with a mental disorder such as anxiety or depression (World Health Organization – WHO).
- The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an estimated 25% rise in anxiety and depression in its first year (WHO).
- Urban living — with its density, noise, pollution, and social isolation — is consistently linked to higher rates of stress-related mental health conditions (World Economic Forum).
Together, this tells me that cities need solutions beyond clinics and prescriptions — solutions that address environmental and social stressors at their roots.
Green space as a Public health investment
Spending time in parks and gardens appears to reduce stress even without intense physical activity. And because lower-income communities often have the least access to quality green space, investing in these environments can also promote health equity. With more than half the world’s population now living in cities — a figure expected to approach 60% by 2030 — the mental health burden of urban life will only grow without structural interventions.
What this means for Urban Planning
Urban planning needs to treat green space as essential infrastructure. That means:
- Ensuring everyone can reach a green or blue space within walking distance,
- Designing spaces that feel safe, inclusive, and well maintained
- Correcting inequities in where green space is located
- Integrating greenery into every day routes, not just destination parks
- Supporting initiatives like social prescribing that encourage time outdoors
A question for all of us
This research reinforces a simple but powerful idea: nature supports health in measurable ways, including reduced reliance on medication. As mental health pressures continue to rise, cities have both an opportunity and a responsibility to design for well-being.
So, the question is: what can citizens do — or get involved in — to ensure city planners and public officials take this kind of research seriously when planning for the future?
In an era of rising anxiety and depression, urban green space is more than beauty. It is prevention.
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