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Wellness > Mental Health

Here’s Why You Need More Green in Your Life

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tampa chapter.

If you ask someone what their favorite color is, the most common responses will usually be blue, red, pink, yellow, or maybe black. Which don’t get me wrong, those are great colors. But where’s the love for green?

St. Patrick’s Day is next month, so I decided to write an appreciation post for this underrated color.

Green is gorgeous. Sometimes when I’m stressed or just need to get some fresh air, I go for a walk outside and marvel at the various shades of green that nature provides free of charge. Green, to me, means everything is growing and prosperous in the way it is intended to be, without force. When you go out and see greenery, you see that there’s an abundance of life surrounding you.

Furthermore, did you know that:

💚 Green symbolizes youth, luck, wealth, tranquility, fertility, hope, and progress.

💚 Humans can see more shades of green than any other color? It’s theorized that this is an evolutionary advantage that stems back from when humans gathered plants. This is why night vision goggles use green.

💚 Shinrin-yoku, or “Forest Bathing”, is the Japanese practice of taking walks through green environments as a way to relax and unwind.

💚 Exposure to greenery increases visual creativity, concentration, and calmness.

💚 Living in greener areas improves your physical and mental health, and can increase your lifespan by up to 2.5 years.

So, why not give Green a chance? Embrace your inner “Plant Mom” and decorate your room with flora, or go on a digital detox and take a stroll through the local forest. 💚🌿🍀🪴🍃

Sources: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871187115300250

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7855717/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494415000328?via%3Dihub

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/living-near-green-spaces-could-add-25-years-to-your-life-new-research-finds/ar-AA1daGO8

My name's Chrissy, I'm a 2024 graduate and Writing Major/Linguistics Minor at the University of Tampa. When I'm not writing, I enjoy listening to music, swimming, meditating, reading, and good vibes.