A New Study of 8,000 People Shows Being Surrounded by Nature Slows Aging on a Cellular Level

Here on Inc.com, I've been beating the drum for years about the mental health benefits of spending time in nature. If you're a stressed-out entrepreneur looking for a way to calm your mind, pry loose some fresh ideas, or even bond with others, then study after study offers the same suggestion: get yourself a pair of sturdy shoes and spend some time in nature. 

Time outdoors is one of the easiest and most well-supported interventions for improving your mental health. And, of course, hiking is great exercise for your body too, with all the benefits any kind of physical movement entails. But even a confirmed nature booster like me is sometimes surprised by a new study showing yet more benefits to something as seemingly easy as wandering around your local park. 

New research out of North Carolina State University, recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, drew on health data on nearly 8.000 people to reveal that being surrounded by nature actually affects people on the cellular level, slowing aging. 

How nature affects your cells

For the new research, the team of researchers examined data from the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2000, which included both health records and data on where people lived. The scientists used this data in two ways. 

First, they figured out, based on people's addresses, how much nature they were likely exposed to. If you live in a leafy rural area or next to a huge urban park, you likely see a lot more green and living things than if you live in a concrete-covered inner-city neighborhood. 

Second, they examined information on a telltale sign of physical aging at the cellular level -- the length of people's telomeres. These caps on the end of each of our chromosomes protect our DNA, and over time the wear and tear of being alive shortens them. On average, the older you are, the shorter your telomeres.

But not everyone's telomeres shrink at the same rate. Stressful life experiences, for instance, can wear them down faster. This makes them a compelling marker of your biological age, or how much of a beating your body has taken thus far in your life.  

When the research team put these data points together, controlling for other factors likely to impact signs of physical aging -- like a history of substance abuse or areas with lots of air pollution -- a clear pattern emerged. 

"We found that the more greenspace people had in their neighborhoods, the longer their telomeres were," explains study co-author Aaron Hipp. "That was true regardless of race, economic status, whether they were drinkers or smokers, etc." However, the study also showed that in very polluted or deprived areas, the stresses of the environment canceled out the effects of having more nature around. 

What else do you need to convince you? 

This is, of course, valuable information for urban planners and people considering where to relocate to (go where there is more nature). The study authors stress the importance of planting more trees and making green spaces accessible for all.