Getting out of the house, switching off devices, and spending less time in front of a screen can improve happiness levels during lockdown, a new study shows.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University studied 286 people from Austria during a strict coronavirus lockdown in April 2020.
They discovered that levels of happiness were higher when the participants were outdoors and lower when they spent more time in front of a screen or on a device.
Previous studies have shown that being outdoors, particularly in green spaces, can improve mental health by promoting a more positive body image.
This prompted academics from Anglia Ruskin, the Karl Landsteiner University in Austria, and Perdana University in Malaysia to examine the impact of getting outside during an enforced national lockdown.
The researchers also examined the impact of daily screen time, which includes the use of TV, computer, and smartphone.
They also looked into the feelings of loneliness had on someone's mood during lockdown.
As part of the study, levels of happiness were measured three times a day at random intervals over a 21-day period.
During the time of the study, the participants were under a national lockdown that only allowed them to go out for specific activities including exercise.
The researcher said there were practical health policy implications to their findings, particularly given the announcement of the most recent UK lockdown, noting that public health messages that promote getting some fresh air instead of staying indoors and staring at our screens could really help to lift people's mood this winter.
The findings were published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
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