Have you stumbled upon the 20-minute park theory lately?
Supposedly, no matter how much negative energy you carry, all you need is to find a park, do nothing for twenty minutes, and you'll instantly feel rejuvenated.
This theory originated from a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research. The research suggests that even without any physical activity, spending twenty minutes in a park can lead to a better state of mind. Yes, simply taking a stroll or lounging around can have an effect.
While this theory might sound far-fetched at first, our investigation reveals that not only is the 20-minute park theory reliable, but we can also derive a series of low-time-cost, zero-money-cost, and fast-acting recharge strategies for working folks!
Why are small city parks so magical?
Parks are the most accessible natural environments for most people.
Unlike the hustle and bustle of urban buildings and streets, parks offer rare glimpses of nature within the city—greenery, streams, and the unobstructed sky—all of which provide a refreshing break from city life. And these natural environments come with numerous benefits.
Numerous studies have found that people who spend more time in natural environments such as parks, forests, and beaches tend to have better health and higher levels of happiness. A study conducted in the UK discovered that people who spend over 2 hours per week in natural environments consistently have higher levels of health and happiness compared to those who don't.
This positive impact might stem from the fact that parks not only provide more sunlight exposure to those who spend prolonged periods indoors but also make it easier for them to engage in moderate physical activity, both of which are beneficial for physical and mental health.
Another survey conducted in Beijing found that people who habitually visit parks can meet their daily minimum physical activity requirements by simply taking a stroll in the park every day.
Additionally, the ambiance of parks makes it easier for them to engage in simple exercises—after all, parks often have various exercise equipment available.
Even if you don't join the park exercise brigade and simply sit around idly, it's still beneficial.
Numerous studies on nature and stress have found that spending time in natural environments significantly reduces stress levels. Regions of the brain associated with fear, stress, and anxiety, such as the amygdala, are less likely to be activated in natural settings. In other words, parks not only help us alleviate stress but also make us less prone to experiencing new stressors.
In our daily lives, where we shuttle back and forth between cubicles, it's easy to lose sight of our surroundings and become overly focused on our own emotions, leading to a cycle of negative emotions. However, when we immerse ourselves in nature without confines, our worries and pains seem trivial. A gust of wind blows by, and they're gone. With negative emotions cleared away, positive emotions naturally have room to grow.
According to the Attention Restoration Theory proposed by psychologists Kaplan and Kaplan, engaging in activities that align with our intrinsic motivations and provide gentle stimuli in environments that are different from our daily lives aids in restoring our attention.
Parks happen to be easily accessible places that possess the characteristics of being away from routine life, having an extent, compatibility, and fascination.
Many people overlook the fact that our attention is also a finite resource. When we're in urban environments, the people, events, and objects around us constantly create "information noise," depleting our attention.
But parks are rare havens of information silence in the city, with minimal noise. The only sounds are the rustle of leaves in the wind, birds singing in the trees, and the gentle flow of the river. Even occasional human voices, like the shouts of elderly people exercising or the laughter of children playing, seem distant after being absorbed by the lush foliage.
In this tranquil atmosphere, a sense of relaxation and comfort washes over us, making it easier to enter a state of mental relaxation. The overworked brain gets a break, and attention resources finally have a chance to replenish.
Generally, expanses of wilderness are more conducive to expansiveness. But in relatively small areas, designing different road characteristics and trails can make the area appear larger than it actually is, providing a sense of expansiveness. Miniature landscapes can also make people feel like they're in different worlds, as seen in traditional Chinese gardens.
In addition, parks also have unexpected "social attributes." In this small social arena of the park, we can break down the interpersonal barriers of modern communities and randomly establish emotional connections with unfamiliar neighbors—casually chatting about daily life or reaching out to pet a neighbor's cute dog. These random but pleasantly surprising interactions also provide us with inner energy.
Low-Cost Human Recharge Solutions
Apart from parks, there are some other contemporary, low-time and low-money cost human recharge solutions.
Have you ever tried stopping your hurried steps on the way home from work and looked up at the sky? Yes, sky watching is also an action that can recharge your spirits.
Compared to our unchanging daily routines, the sky offers us a daily surprise package. This sense of surprise brings us anticipation and joy.
Moreover, the sky provides an environment with more "extension" than a park. When our thoughts slowly drift with the clouds, our mental reservoir quietly fills up. Just simply looking up at the sky for a while, you'll find fatigue disappearing, mood improving, and even long-lost focus and creativity returning.
As mentioned earlier, being active in natural environments significantly reduces stress levels. And among activities in natural environments, besides walking and daydreaming, there's a more primitive one—tree hugging.
Yes, it's about finding a sturdy, large tree, and hugging it tightly like embracing a loved one, feeling the natural breath, feeling the silent support the tree gives you. (For more details, click here → This generation is using "tree hugging" to treat internal exhaustion.)
In fact, whether it's strolling in the park, sky watching, or tree hugging, they all contain the same logic—short escapes.
Short escapes stem from vacations. Vacations may have many constraints, such as time costs, financial costs, or miscellaneous household chores. But what about briefly escaping from daily life, taking a vacation for just a day or even a few hours?
What we call micro-vacations / short escapes actually emphasize breaking out of the daily life pattern and achieving a vacation state of mind through changes in environment or activity patterns. And to achieve the goal of "micro-vacations / short escapes," only two principles are needed: either change the environment, or do something else.
For example, if we usually spend most of our time indoors, then try to go outdoors as much as possible. Parks, wilderness are great options, but green spaces in neighborhoods, safe urban green belts, and other places can also have a good effect.
Doing something else is even easier. For example, try woodworking or assembling a cabinet by hand. Any behavior pattern different from daily life will bring a healing feeling.
In short, boldly trying different environments and doing different things can truly bring a whole new experience to both body and mind!
References
[1] White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J. et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci Rep 9, 7730 (2019).
[2] Jimenez, M. P., DeVille, N. V., Elliott, E. G., Schiff, J. E., Wilt, G. E., Hart, J. E., & James, P. (2021). Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(9), 4790.
[3] Liu, H., Li, F., Li, J., & Zhang, Y. (2017). The relationships between urban parks, residents' physical activity, and mental health benefits: A case study from Beijing, China. Journal of environmental management, 190, 223-230.
[4] McMahan, E. A., & Estes, D. (2015). The effect of contact with natural environments on positive and negative affect: A meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(6), 507–519.
[5] Wang, X., Rodiek, S., Wu, C., Chen, Y., & Li, Y. (2016). Stress recovery and restorative effects of viewing different urban park scenes in Shanghai, China. Urban forestry & urban greening, 15, 112-122.
[6] Grahn, P., & Stigsdotter, U. A. (2003). Landscape planning and stress. Urban forestry & urban greening, 2(1), 1-18.
[7] Ohly, H., White, M. P., Wheeler, B. W., Bethel, A., Ukoumunne, O. C., Nikolaou, V., & Garside, R. (2016). Attention Restoration Theory: A systematic review of the attention restoration potential of exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 19(7), 305-343.
[8] Ka?mierczak, A. (2013). The contribution of local parks to neighbourhood social ties. Landscape and urban planning, 109(1), 31-44.
Planning and Production
Author | Honest Science Popularization Studio Science Popularization Team
Review | Zhang Xin, Associate Professor, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Peking University
Planning | Yi Nuo
Editor | Yi Nuo
Proofreading | Xu Lai, Lin Lin
