Rewyld for Work / Research
The science of stepping outside.
Research gives us reasons to explore nature as part of a working day. These studies examine mood, attention, recovery and green space. They do not all test the same activity, setting or outcome.
These are independent studies, not results from Rewyld.
Back to Rewyld for Work10 studies, 1,252 participants
Mood and self-esteem
An analysis of UK studies found improvements in mood and self-esteem after activity in green settings, including short sessions.
Barton and Pretty combined ten studies of activity in the presence of nature and compared changes in mood and self-esteem across different durations and intensities.
How to read it. This concerns activity in green settings, not a guaranteed effect from any five-minute outdoor pause. It did not test Rewyld or workplace performance.
Two controlled experiments
A different setting for attention
Walking in nature or viewing nature images improved performance on directed-attention tests compared with urban settings.
Berman, Jonides and Kaplan compared natural and urban environments using a backwards digit-span task and the Attention Network Task.
How to read it. These were controlled cognitive tasks, not measures of job performance. The study does not establish a percentage productivity gain for employees.
15-minute lunch breaks
Recovery during the working day
Trials with Finnish employees found recovery benefits from park walks and relaxation exercises. Effects were modest, short-lived and varied by season.
Two randomized trials involved 153 knowledge workers. Park-walk and relaxation groups completed fifteen-minute activities over ten working days, with a usual-break control group. Improvements in restoration and fatigue were clearer in the autumn trial.
How to read it. Spring results were limited. This supports testing a feasible break, not promising lasting stress reduction, reduced absence or better productivity.
143 studies reviewed
The wider evidence on green space
A systematic review linked green-space exposure with several favorable health measures. Study quality and results varied.
Twohig-Bennett and Jones reviewed observational and intervention studies. Pooled analyses found associations with measures including lower salivary cortisol and diastolic blood pressure.
How to read it. Much of the evidence was observational, and some analyses had high variation and poor study quality. Association is not proof that an app-guided break causes the same changes.
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