Feel better about yourself with a blast of winter scenery, study says

Article content

Don’t let the snow get you down.

Article content

Researchers have found that stepping outside and spending short amounts of time surrounded by blankets of snow is actually good for you.

Previous studies have found spending time outside during warmer months helps your physical and mental wellbeing.

And winter can have the same effect.

“A body of evidence now exists showing that nature exposure – living close to, frequenting, or engaging with environments such as forests and parks – is associated with a range of physical and psychological wellbeing benefits,” said lead author Dr. Kamila Czepczor-Bernat, of the Medical University of Silesia.

“However, in contrast to previous studies which have focused on the impact of blue and green natural environments on body image outcomes, ours is the first to show the positive impact on body appreciation from spending time in snow-covered environments.”

Article content

Recommended video

The new research, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in November, found that snowy landscapes had the same effect on a person as the greens and blues of summer.

The study, carried out last winter by academics from the Medical University of Silesia, in Katowice, Poland, and Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, had a small sample size of 87 women, with an average age of 24.

The participants, in the Silesia region of Poland, completed a measure of their body appreciation before walking in a snowy woodland and after their winter exposure, which took approximately 40 minutes.

The study found the limited amount of time in nature resulted in greater body appreciation.

“Our findings demonstrate the importance of ensuring that everyone can access restorative natural environments, which may be a cost-effective way of promoting healthier body image, and highlight that there are significant benefits of being outside in nature, whatever the weather,” said senior author Viren Swami, a social psychology professor at Anglia Ruskin University.