Live near the sea It is a very common aspiration for many people, but now, science has discovered that it not only has the advantage of views, but is also good for your health.
British scientists have found that middle-aged and older people who live near the sea, lakes or rivers (so-called ‘blue spaces’) are less likely to suffer from age-related mental decline.
They had a risk 13.2% less cognitive impairmentmeasured through memory tests and reaction times, according to research published in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.
The neurology experts behind the research say that humid air around large bodies of water can limit air pollution which has previously been linked to age-related mental decline.
The sounds and sights of crashing waves and flowing water can also be an important factor in reducing stress levels and helping improve the mood of residentsthe researchers added.
The results of tests carried out on 35,669 men and women from the enormous database of the UK Biobank They were compared with home addresses and proximity to lakes, rivers or the sea. The experts measured memory, reaction times, and verbal and numerical reasoning.
Exposure to air pollution was calculated for each household. The researchers also took into account a number of factors, from age, education and weight to diet, blood pressure and alcohol consumption habits.
The surprising results show that the more blue space there is around the house, the less mental deterioration. People with high levels of blue space within a radius of 300 meters from your house they had a 13.2% lower risk of suffering cognitive impairment.
The effect was even more marked when air pollution was high. When airborne particle levels were highest, a 10% increase in blue space within 300 meters of the home was associated with a 26.2% improvement in performance on cognitive tests.
The researchers, all of them from the Fujian Medical University in China, They said the reduction in air pollution associated with blue spaces may be at least partly responsible for the findings.
Kaitai Yangone of the study’s co-authors from Fujian Medical University, says: “Although blue space cannot directly remove air pollutants, the presence of humid air and adjacent wetlands can reduce air pollutant levels.”
The researcher said the findings could have important implications for planners and policymakers in the creating healthy cities in the future.
“Blue space exerted a protective effect on cognitive function in the presence of high levels of air pollutants. In other words, blue space can mitigate harmful effects of air pollution on cognitive function,” he says.
“These findings are likely to have important implications for policy-making and the development of healthy cities. They highlight the importance of taking air pollution into account when planning and designing blue spaces for maximize the public health benefits associated with them“he concludes.
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