New Research Finds Time Spent Among Trees Might Help Kids' Brains Grow And Develop

As a child grows and develops, the neurons in their brain are said to branch like trees. Being around this very type of foliage could actually help the process along.

A long-term study among 3,568 students in London, between the ages of 9 and 15, has found those kids who spent more time near woodlands showed improved cognitive performance and mental health in adolescence.

"These findings contribute to our understanding of natural-environment types as an important protective factor for adolescents' cognitive development and mental health and suggest that not every natural-environment type may contribute equally to these health benefits," the authors write.

It's not the first time researchers have found a curious connection between the presence of trees and the human state of mind. 

In the United States and Denmark, nationwide epidemiological studies of children have shown green spaces in residential areas are linked to a lower risk of mental health issues later in life.

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