The great outdoors is good for your mental health—so good, in fact, that even a five-minute dose of greenery can work wonders for your state of mind, says USA Today. **

British researchers analyzed data from 10 separate studies, which looked at the effect that activities such as walking, cycling, fishing, farming, and gardening had on the mental states of the 1,200 people involved. Although everyone benefited, the young and mentally ill saw the biggest boosts to their self-esteem. Urban parks conferred positive effects, although green areas with water were even more beneficial. And the largest positive health changes occurred when people exercised in the outdoors, for periods as brief as just five minutes. “There would be a large potential benefit,” says study co-author Jo Barton, if “people were to self-medicate more with green exercise.”

**This story is from the May 21, 2010 edition of ‘The Week’ magazine and is titled ‘The Nature Cure’.