How City Life Impacts Our Wellbeing

While cities have long been idealized in culture as centers of dreams and innovations, recent research indicated that urban living may have significant drawbacks from emotional wellbeing. Over half of the global population lives in cities, a number expected to increase to 70% by 2050.

The study calls for a reevaluation of urban planning to better support mental and physical health, emphasizing the need for green spaces for boosting mood, active spaces to promote physical health, prosocial spaces for community engagement, and safe spaces to enhance overall wellbeing.

The physical urbanization of cities is also shown to have direct effects on mental health. Cities with many oppressively tall skyscrapers, unwalkable neighborhoods and a lack of greenery are shown to increase stress levels.