Visits to rivers and canals should be included in social prescribing programmes to manage mental health issues
Visiting a canal or river when you are feeling down could be the boost you need, according to a recent study.
Canals and rivers can enhance your state of well-being for up to 24 hours after a visit, the study published in the journal Plos One August 31, 2022 further added.
Being in an environment with both blue and green space, as well as animals, has a more substantial positive effect on well-being than being in a place with simply green space, noted researchers from King’s College London.
“Canals and rivers contain not only water but also an abundance of trees and plants, which means their capacity to improve mental well-being is likely to be due to the multiple benefits associated with both green and blue spaces,” said Andrea Mechelli, professor at King’s College, London.
The researchers used the direct observation method and gathered numerous real-time responses about people’s location and mental well-being using a mobile app.
A total of 7,975 assessments were completed by 299 participants, including 87 with a diagnosis of mental illness.
People who spend more time near waterbodies expressed feelings of safety and social inclusion compared to those in all other locations, such as indoors, outdoors in urban settings, or close to areas devoid of water.
This link persisted even after considering variables including age, gender, education level and mental health issue diagnosis.
Visits to rivers and canals should be included in social prescribing programmes to manage mental health issues, the study noted.
“These findings provide an evidence base for what we thought about water and well-being and support the proposal that visits to canals and rivers could become part of social prescribing schemes, playing a role in supporting mental health,” Mechelli added.
Planning and creating urban and rural landscapes that support the mental health of all inhabitants will require a more profound knowledge of the effects of these ecosystems, noted the findings of the study.
The participants downloaded Urban Mind app on their smartphones and entered the passcode ‘water’ to access the specific research study. They were shown several screens that detailed the study’s goals before requesting their informed consent.
Afterwards, participants were required to complete a baseline survey that asked them about their age, gender, ethnicity, level of education and other socio-demographic details, as well as their physical and mental health.
Participants were requested to complete a brief ecological momentary assessment (EMA), lasting around 2 minutes, over the following 14 days. Push notifications for EMAs were distributed to participants thrice daily at random intervals.
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People who spend more time near waterbodies expressed feelings of safety and social inclusion. Photo: iStock.png)
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