There’s something soothing about a natural environment. While most of us live in a concrete jungle, we tend to try to spruce it up with a little greenery here and there. We do it to make the place look better, of course, but there is also something calming, something relaxing about plants that is difficult to put into words.

Putting it into science is another matter. While we might surround ourselves with plants simply because we enjoy them, researchers want to know why we enjoy them, and what effect this enjoyment has on us. It turns out, one of those effects might be a longer life. A new study detailed in the New York Times has shown a remarkable effect of plant life on longevity:

Researchers monitored 108,630 women who completed biannual questionnaires on their health and lifestyle from 2000 to 2008. During that time, 8,604 died. Using satellite imagery, they tracked the extent of seasonal vegetation where the women lived. The study controlled for socioeconomic status, age, race, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, education and other health and behavioral factors.

Those living near greenery had a rate of deaths from respiratory illness that was 34 percent lower and a rate of dying from cancer that was 13 percent lower. But greenness did not affect mortality related to coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke or infections.

There’s one objective reason to get some more plant life in and around your home. It’s also worrying to think about the lack of greenery in some large cities, and the negative effect this might have. Check out the full post for more details.

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