Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban Population
Globally, urbanization is associated with increased risk for physical and mental diseases. Among other factors, urban stressors (e.g. air pollution) are linked to these increased health risks (e.g. chronic respiratory diseases, depression). Emerging evidence indicates substantial health benefits of...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Open Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/psych-2024-0003 |
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| author | Varadarajan Suchithra Herchet Marilisa Mack Matthias Hofmann Mathias Bisle Ellen Sayer Emma Kolassa Iris-Tatjana |
| author_facet | Varadarajan Suchithra Herchet Marilisa Mack Matthias Hofmann Mathias Bisle Ellen Sayer Emma Kolassa Iris-Tatjana |
| author_sort | Varadarajan Suchithra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Globally, urbanization is associated with increased risk for physical and mental diseases. Among other factors, urban stressors (e.g. air pollution) are linked to these increased health risks (e.g. chronic respiratory diseases, depression). Emerging evidence indicates substantial health benefits of exposure to greenspaces in urban populations. However, there is a need for an overarching framework summarizing the plausible underlying biological factors linked to this effect, especially within the context of stress regulation. Therefore, by outlining the effects of greenspace exposure on stress parameters such as allostatic load, oxidative stress, mitochondria, and the microbiome, we conceptualize an integrated biopsychological framework to advance research into the salutogenic and stress-regulatory potential of greenspace exposure. In addition, we discuss the understudied potential health benefits of biogenic volatile organic compounds. Our perspective highlights the potential for innovative greenspace-based interventions to target stress reduction, and their prospect as add-ons to current psychotherapies to promote mental and physical health in urban populations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9b774e5a216d411a999e725a1f68175b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2543-8883 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-9b774e5a216d411a999e725a1f68175b2025-01-20T11:09:19ZengDe GruyterOpen Psychology2543-88832025-01-0171113056710.1515/psych-2024-0003Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban PopulationVaradarajan Suchithra0Herchet Marilisa1Mack Matthias2Hofmann Mathias3Bisle Ellen4Sayer Emma5Kolassa Iris-Tatjana6Clinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology & Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, DE-89081, Ulm, GermanyCenter for Open Digital Innovation and Participation (CODIP), TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, GermanyClinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology & Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, DE-89081, Ulm, GermanyCenter for Open Digital Innovation and Participation (CODIP), TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, GermanyClinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology & Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, DE-89081, Ulm, GermanyEcophysiology, Institute of Botany, Ulm University, Ulm, GermanyClinical & Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology & Education, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, DE-89081, Ulm, GermanyGlobally, urbanization is associated with increased risk for physical and mental diseases. Among other factors, urban stressors (e.g. air pollution) are linked to these increased health risks (e.g. chronic respiratory diseases, depression). Emerging evidence indicates substantial health benefits of exposure to greenspaces in urban populations. However, there is a need for an overarching framework summarizing the plausible underlying biological factors linked to this effect, especially within the context of stress regulation. Therefore, by outlining the effects of greenspace exposure on stress parameters such as allostatic load, oxidative stress, mitochondria, and the microbiome, we conceptualize an integrated biopsychological framework to advance research into the salutogenic and stress-regulatory potential of greenspace exposure. In addition, we discuss the understudied potential health benefits of biogenic volatile organic compounds. Our perspective highlights the potential for innovative greenspace-based interventions to target stress reduction, and their prospect as add-ons to current psychotherapies to promote mental and physical health in urban populations.https://doi.org/10.1515/psych-2024-0003greenspace exposureallostatic loadmitochondriagut microbiotabiogenic volatile organic compounds, bvocsgreenspace-based interventions |
| spellingShingle | Varadarajan Suchithra Herchet Marilisa Mack Matthias Hofmann Mathias Bisle Ellen Sayer Emma Kolassa Iris-Tatjana Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban Population Open Psychology greenspace exposure allostatic load mitochondria gut microbiota biogenic volatile organic compounds, bvocs greenspace-based interventions |
| title | Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban Population |
| title_full | Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban Population |
| title_fullStr | Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban Population |
| title_full_unstemmed | Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban Population |
| title_short | Salutogenic Effects of Greenspace Exposure: An Integrated Biopsychological Perspective on Stress Regulation, Mental and Physical Health in the Urban Population |
| title_sort | salutogenic effects of greenspace exposure an integrated biopsychological perspective on stress regulation mental and physical health in the urban population |
| topic | greenspace exposure allostatic load mitochondria gut microbiota biogenic volatile organic compounds, bvocs greenspace-based interventions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/psych-2024-0003 |
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