CLEAR YOUR MIND
City-dwellers are more unhappy on high pollution days, according to Chinese researchers who analysed wellbeing in 144 cities. Why? Well, it’s partly that people stay inside to evade the dirty air, so don’t get the moodboosting benefits of being outdoors. In fact, exposure to green spaces has been shown to not only increase happiness, but also reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stress and high blood pressure. So letting pollution keep us indoors isn’t a smart choice. The solution? If you live in a smoggy city, don’t hunker down – re-route. A London study found swapping your route from busy streets to quiet neighbouring ones can cut exposure to pollution in half. Still head to the park to bask in the mental health benefits – just take the scenic route.