Reducing Stress Is A Walk In The Park
Spring has finally sprung but according to new research out today sunshine is not enough to lift the population's spirits with three quarters (74 per cent) of UK workers admitting they feel stressed on a daily basis.
Fortunately the antidote is close to hand with 70 per cent saying that escaping from the city makes them feel instantly relaxed.
The study by the National Trust found that when it comes to lowering stress levels our senses are key, with 72 per cent of those surveyed claiming that seeing the sea was the quickest and most effective stress reliever.
This was followed closely by a walk in the countryside (66 per cent), contact with fresh air (59 per cent) and the sand between our toes (33 per cent).
With the study revealing that contact with the natural elements can help significantly reduce stress, the National Trust has come up with the ultimate solution for the city-bound - National Trust fresh air is being offered to stressed-out city workers across the UK.
The fresh air has been captured from rural and coastal locations across the country - including the coastline scent of Townend on the shores of Lake Windermere in Cumbria, the grass filled blend at Stourhead, Wiltshire and the woodland aroma of Box Hill, Surrey.
The National Trust fresh air has been collected in recycled glass jars and will give city workers a fragrance for the natural outdoors - thought to relieve stress for up to ten minutes with each 454gram jar containing the branded fresh air.
For those people that are unable to get their hands on these jars of fresh air, the National Trust is also giving everyone in the country a bonus by opening their doors for free on the weekend of 20 - 21 March 2010.
Andrew McLaughlin at the National Trust comments; "With most of us living in an urban environment and having little time to escape to the great outdoors we thought it was about time the National Trust shared just a fraction of our copious amounts of fresh air with the nation."
National Trust fresh air is currently being distributed to stressed-out city workers in London. 100 desk-bound office workers across the UK can also get their hands - or noses - on the fresh air by requesting their own air-filled jar online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/freeair.
Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the National Trust, continues: "Our free weekend is the perfect chance to escape the stresses of our busy lives and get outdoors and breathe in some free springtime fresh air or take inspiration from the beauty of any of 300 of our special places.
"We hope many of you with your friends and families will visit us and discover that we really have something for everybody."
The National Trust fresh air has been captured in environmentally-friendly British-made recycled glass jars which can be re-used for jams, preserves or capturing your own locally-sourced fresh air.
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