According to a study released by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, visiting nature three to four times a week lowered odds of using medications like blood pressure medication by 36 percent, mental health medications by 33 percent, and asthma medication by 26 percent.

 
The study was published on January 16th in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The study interviewed roughly 6,000 people in three large cities in Finland about their use of green and blue spaces within a kilometer of their houses.

The study made the distinction as well about using the spaces as opposed to simply seeing nature while indoors which appears to not show the same results. A 2019 study shows however that people who live near green spaces are less likely to die prematurely. The current research did show that the frequency of green space visits was associated with lower odds of being on blood pressure, mental health, or asthma medication.

The study concluded that frequent green space visits, but not the number of spaces or views from one's home, were associated with lowered use of these medications.

Sign up for assistant professor of landscape architecture at UC Davis, Haven Kiers upcoming February 23rd webinar to learn more about the concept of Nature Rx and how to design spaces that harness the healing power of nature.