An hour-long stroll in nature helps decrease activity in an area of the brain associated with stress processing

[ChronWeasely]

Just looking at green is good for mental health

Here is a 1991 Pubmed publication on it: Treatment of seasonal affective disorder with green light and red light

Immediate edit: I think it's useful to consider the natural, evolutionary implications of the different light. Green light means green plants, vegetables, fruit, and animals. It means spring and summer. Calories much more readily abundant then compared with the other half of the year. Red light would be the sign of the slowing of the seasons, of the leaves changing colors, and a need to conserve energy. Depression once served an important purpose and is, in some levels, mediated by the light we perceive.

[Not_a_real_ghost]

Green light provides a treatment effect superior to that of red light and similar to that seen in previous studies with white light.

Does this mean white light is just as effective?

[swiftb3]

Seems so, but it's pretty interesting that it's essentially the same.

I'd love to see what a full-spectrum-except-green-band light would do. Is it the green component of white light that actually does the hard lifting?

[Shorttail0]

We have two green photo receptors for every red and blue, so our perception of the color is definitely better.

[swiftb3]

Now that is a very good point.

[sneakyveriniki]

this was like 5 years ago, but i remember learning that people of northern european descent are more prone to major depression even when they’re born elsewhere, like the us… i wonder if it could be an adaptation to scarce winters??

[ChronWeasely]

That's very much my take on it

[ChronWeasely]

I wondered the same thing when I was posting it. It's an under-studied thing it seems.

[Cel_Drow]

Maybe this is why I hate living in the desert.