Physiological and Psychological Effects of Viewing Urban Parks in Different Seasons in Adults

Abstract

Although the health benefits of urban parks have gained significant attention, the effects of viewing park landscape on older adult residents have not commanded much research. This study aimed to investigate the physiological and psychological effects of viewing cherry blossoms in spring and fresh greenery in early summer at urban parks. The experiments were conducted in two viewing spots in the same park in Japan during different seasons, and included 12 participants in both spring (mean age, 66.4 ± 10.5 years) and summer (mean age, 65.75 ± 10.1 years). Participants sat and viewed an urban park and city landscape for 11–15 min. Blood pressure was measured before and after the seated viewing while heart rate was measured continuously. Then, they evaluated the psychological responses using the Profile of Mood States and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Viewing cherry blossoms and fresh greenery in urban parks led to lower blood pressure in spring and early summer than viewing city areas in spring and early summer. Moreover, the score of vigor–activity was significantly higher; tension–anxiety was significantly lower in spring; and the state-anxiety level was significantly lower in early summer. The results of this study suggest that viewing urban parks results in physiological and psychological relaxation.

Association between Urban Greenspace and Health: A Systematic Review of Literature

“…In the second screening step, 20 articles were eliminated, and the reasons for removal listed ( Supplementary Table S4 ) [ 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ]. Finally, 34 articles met all the inclusion criteria and were thus incorporated into the qualitative synthesis [ 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , …”

“…Overall, the articles’ study period spanned 19 years, from 2000 [ 79 ] to 2019 [ 85 ]. Almost all the included studies (31/34, 91%) were based in a single country.…”

“…Half of those (19/34, 55%) were set in English-speaking countries (12 United States of America [ 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 77 , 82 , 83 , 88 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 ], four United Kingdom [ 48 , 56 , 58 , 64 ], one Canada [ 75 ], one Australia [ 66 ], one New Zealand [ 81 ]). European and Asian countries were involved in 29% (10/34) of the articles (three Lithuania [ 45 , 47 , 67 ], two Netherlands [ 96 , 97 ], one Denmark [ 64 ], one Norway [ 79 ], two Japan [ 85 , 91 ], and one South Korea [ 80 ]). South America was the least represented continent, with only two studies, which both took place in Colombia [ 69 , 86 ] ( Table 1 ).…”

“…MH outcomes were considered by 19 records [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 84 , 85 , 87 , 89 , 91 , 92 , 96 , 97 ]—all of which seem to adopt a unified analytic approach. Indeed, they evaluate multiple MH domains in parallel.…”

“…Song and co-authors [ 91 ] measured anxiety-related symptoms in two groups of citizens after 15 min of walking in urban greenspaces, as opposed to urban built environments. In the second study, anxiety levels dropped after the subjects were exposed to natural landscapes [ 85 ]. In an ecological study, anxiety decreased for reduced urban greenspace distance [ 81 ].…”