Greenspaces for working people

Why greenspaces can help you

If you spend long hours working in an office, you probably also spend many hours sat down at a desk. Studies have linked sitting with an increased risk of some diseases(1), but exercise can help combat this(2).

So, what can you do that’s both enjoyable, and beneficial for your health? You could try walking, running or doing some form of exercise in nature. Studies have shown that exercising in nature is more revitalising than exercising indoors(3), meaning you’ll feel more refreshed and able to let the stresses of the day go.

Primrose Hill, London

How can you use greenspaces?

If you work long hours you probably don’t have a lot of time to wander round aimlessly looking for somewhere to go for a walk, meaning you need somewhere nearby that is accessible to you. You may know of a large park or wooded area nearby, but may not know where the entrances are? Greenspaces can help with that, by showing you greenspaces near to you (or anywhere else in Britain) that are accessible to the public. The greenspaces layer also shows you access points, meaning you can easily plot a route to from your location to the access point, and follow it on the OS maps app.

If you work in a city you may not realise there are greenspaces closer than you think. You may even discover that you work close enough to a greenspace that you can go there at lunchtime for a scenic lunch, or for a walk to get you closer to your 10,000 steps a day. You may even discover a running route near you that you can do on your way to or from work, or at lunchtime for a refreshing break.

Working in a city may mean you are near many busy roads, but you can use OS maps to select quieter roads to take you to greenspaces, meaning you stay safe. So, use the greenspace layer on OS maps to enjoy some well needed peace and quiet in nature.

Get started now

OS Maps web


References

  1. Harvard Medical School: Too much sitting linked to heart disease, diabetes, premature death: health.harvard.edu/blog/much-sitting-linked-heart-disease-diabetes-premature-death
  2. CBS News: How to reverse the health risks of sitting all day: cbsnews.com/news/one-hour-of-exercise-reverses-health-risks-of-sitting-all-day/
  3. US National Library of Medicine: The great outdoors: how a green exercise environment can benefit all: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC37101...

Share: