Healthy Planet, Healthy You: September 2023 Climate News To Know

Air pollution clearly threatens cardiorespiratory health, but its impact on hormones is less clear-cut. This study out of Anhui, China, monitored how certain pollutants (particulate matter and sulfur dioxide) impacted reproductive hormones in women receiving fertility treatments. Researchers found that those who lived in an area with more air pollution had lower levels of estradiol and progesterone—hormones that are critical for supporting pregnancy. Interestingly, though, access to green space seemed to mitigate some of the negative effects. (Read the study here1.)

In most research on nature's health benefits, data collection happens within a short time window. This unique longer-term study collected data on 2,699 adults in the Netherlands multiple times between 2010 and 2016. It found that over the course of six years, those who spent more time in "blue spaces" (by the coast, on a lake, etc.) reported significant mental health improvements—even more than those who paid more visits to green spaces like parks. (Read the study here2.)

While blue and green space seems to improve mood and brain health, gray space—built surfaces such as concrete, streets, or rooftops—might harm it. New research on children (average age of 10) found that kids who were surrounded by more gray space had increased connectivity of the left amygdala. This is not a positive thing, as researchers note that increased connectivity in this region may enhance the risk for emotion dysregulation. This underscores the importance of letting children explore nature whenever possible. (Read the study here3.)

A massive study on nearly 2 million Danish adults over 50 found that those exposed to three factors—pollution, traffic noise, and the built environment/lack of green space—were more likely to have a heart attack over a five-year study period. Air pollution was the most tightly correlated with heart attack risk, but all three factors seemed to be risky on their own, too. (Read the research here.)

This month, think about the sounds that you engage with on a daily basis. Do you constantly listen to music or podcasts, or do you carve out some time for quiet? Are you surrounded by traffic noise all day, or do you take the occasional trip to a quiet local park or coastline? Consider how the noises in your life affect your temperament, and consider adding some more silence and nature sounds to your auditory diet (even if they're virtual).