RESEARCH

Impact of Views to School Landscapes on Recovery from Stress and Mental Fatigue

High school students with views of green landscapes from their classroom windows showed significantly better recovery from stress and improved attention after a break compared to students with no view or a view of buildings. The results confirm that green views, not just sunlight, directly support mental focus and stress relief in school settings.

Program Types: Therapeutic, Social

Population Groups: Children/Youth, Students

Setting or Context: Schools/Educational Settings, Urban vs. Rural Settings

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Mental Health, Enhanced Emotional Well-being, Improved Stress Management, Improved Cognitive Function, Increased Self-Efficacy

Allied Profession Intersections: Landscape Design, Education

Type of Activity: Forest/Natural Area Immersion, Mindfulness/Visualizations

Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Randomized Controlled Trials, Quantitative Research

Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health, Patient-Reported Outcomes, Standardized Assessment Tools, Program Effectiveness, Longitudinal Studies

Access: Paid

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Summary

This study looked at how the view from a classroom window can affect high school students’ ability to concentrate and recover from stress. Researchers placed students in classrooms with either no windows, windows showing only buildings, or windows overlooking green spaces. After doing challenging tasks, students took a break in the same room and were tested on how well they could focus and how much their stress levels changed. The students who had a green view outside their classroom windows showed a stronger improvement in attention and a better drop in stress afterward compared to those with no view or a view of buildings.

The study showed that just being able to see greenery—like trees or grass—through a window made a real difference in helping students calm down and refocus. Importantly, the benefits of green views were not due to sunlight alone, as students with views of buildings didn’t show the same effects. The researchers suggest that green spaces near schools and visible from classrooms could play a key role in supporting students’ mental and emotional well-being. Designing schools to include these views could be a simple and low-cost way to help students learn better and feel less stressed.