Have you ever noticed how your breathing slows and your mood lifts the moment you step into a park?
Urban parks, small groves, tree-lined sidewalks, and plants in playgrounds where our little friends play — these green spaces are more than just decoration. They are essential elements of healthy city life.
How many of us haven’t chosen a route through a park instead of a busy street, or sat on a bench under the shade of a tree to relax for a moment? Many people who work on computers even turn a nearby park into their temporary office on a sunny day.
But how exactly do green spaces in cities affect the health of residents?
🌳 Green Spaces and Mental Health in Schools
Greenery in school facilities has a proven positive impact on students’ health. Research shows that plants in school grounds help reduce stress levels, which in turn improves students’ mental well-being, concentration, and emotional balance.
🌳 Cooling Cities Naturally
Rising temperatures are felt much more intensely in urban areas. Vegetation plays a key role in mitigating extreme heat by providing shade and cooling the surrounding air. As a result, green spaces help reduce the harmful effects of high temperatures on city populations, especially during heatwaves.
🌳 The “Lungs of the City”
It is no coincidence that parks and green areas are often called the lungs of the city. Trees and plants contribute significantly to air purification. Studies show that pollutants settle on the surfaces of leaves, reducing the number of harmful particles in the air we breathe. This process helps protect our lungs and lowers the risk of respiratory diseases.
🌳 Supporting Healthy Aging
Urban green spaces are especially important for older adults. A walk in a nearby park offers an opportunity for gentle physical activity, conversation, and social interaction — all crucial factors in preventing depression, loneliness, and even cognitive decline.
🌳 Reducing Noise Pollution
Modern urban life is often loud and stressful. Traffic, horns, machinery, and air-conditioning units dominate our soundscape. Natural sounds, such as birdsong and rustling leaves, promote mental relaxation and emotional balance. In contrast, constant artificial noise can lead to sleep disturbances, headaches, increased blood pressure, reduced mental performance, and irritability.
Since we often lack the time to escape to the countryside, creating peaceful green spaces within cities becomes essential for our well-being.
🌳 Visual Rest and Aesthetic Value
Green spaces also play an important aesthetic role. They enhance the appearance of the places where we live, work, exercise, and move about. Trees and plants offer visual relief — especially after long hours spent in front of screens — helping to reduce eye strain and mental fatigue.
🌳 A Better Quality of Life for All
All of these benefits combine to improve overall quality of life in cities. Urban green spaces have a positive impact on mental, physical, and intellectual health for people of all ages.
Good mood, good health, and clear thinking go hand in hand with nature.
To ensure these positive effects last, proper care and maintenance are essential: cleanliness, regular inspection of seating and equipment, adequate lighting, and thoughtful selection of trees and plants — including options that minimize discomfort for people with allergies.
Investing in green spaces means investing in healthier, happier cities — for today and for future generations. 🌳💚
References
Akpinar, A. (2016). How is high school greenness related to students’ restoration and health? Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 16, 1–8.
Klemm, W., Heusinkveld, B. G., Lenzholzer, S., & van Hove, B. (2015). Street greenery and its physical and psychological impact on thermal comfort. Landscape and Urban Planning, 138, 87–98.
European Environment Agency – Noise pollution as a major problem.
Kweon, B. S., Sullivan, W. C., & Wiley, A. (1998). Green common spaces and the social integration of inner-city older adults. Environment and Behavior.
Gavrilidis, A., Ciocănea, C. M., Niţă, M. R., Onose, D. A., & Năstase, I. I. (2016). Urban Landscape Quality Index – Planning tool for evaluating urban landscapes and improving quality of life. Procedia Environmental Sciences.
Xing & Brimblecombe (2019). Trees and parks as “the lungs of cities”. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your physician or dietitian for advice tailored to your individual needs.