Happy days are nature days

Recreational time in nature is linked to greater positive and fewer negative emotions than time in built settings, but it is unclear whether benefits: a) are short-lived or ‘spill-over’ across the day; b) apply to both general populations and people with common mental health disorders (CMDs) such as depression and anxiety; and c) extend across different types of nature (green vs. blue spaces). Using survey data from a representative Austrian adult sample (n = 2,140), we examined ‘happiness’ and ‘anxiety yesterday’ as a function of whether respondents visited green or blue spaces (65.7% & 32.6% respectively), and whether they reported depression/anxiety medication use (13.6%). Controlling for socio-demographic, temporal, and well-being factors, visits to nature were associated with greater happiness regardless of CMD status. Among those with CMDs, blue space visits also related to higher anxiety, possibly reflecting self-management. Results suggest nature visits support daily well-being, but blue spaces need further study.