Martin and colleagues found that people sleep better in homes with more surrounding greenspace and bluespace. The researchers report that data collected via surveys in 18 countries from adults indicated that “nature visible from home (streetscape greenery, blue views) and recreational visits to green and blue spaces were each associated with less insufficient sleep [(<6 h vs. 7–10 h per day]. Significant nature-sleep associations were mediated, to varying degrees, by better mental wellbeing, but not self-reported physical activity. Country-level heterogeneity in the strength of nature-sleep associations was observed. Increasing nature visible from the home may represent a promising strategy for promoting healthier sleep duration at the population level, whilst nature-based interventions encouraging individuals to spend time in local green/blue spaces may be an appropriate target to assist individuals affected by insufficient sleep.”
Leanne Martin, Mathew White, Lewis Elliott, James Grellier, Thomas Astell-Burt, Gregory Bratman, Maria Lima, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Ann Ojala, Anne Roiko, Matilda van den Bosch, and Lara Fleming. 2024. “Mechanisms Underlying the Associations Between Different Types of Nature Exposure and Sleep Duration: An 18-Country Analysis.” Environmental Research, vol. 250, 118522, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.118522