Vivalink's Biometrics Data Platform Powers Innovative Study on How Urban Green Spaces Impact Mental and Physical Health

University of Louisville researchers use Vivalink's wearable technologies and data platform to measure how urban green spaces impact physical and mental health in urban environments

CAMPBELL, Calif., June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivalink, a leading provider of digital healthcare solutions, is supporting a study conducted by the University of Louisville's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute on how urban green spaces influence human health. Researchers are using Vivalink's Biometrics Data Platform to monitor participants' real-time physiological responses in natural and urban environments, providing valuable health data that could inform urban planning and public health initiatives.

While prior research from the university has linked exposure to nature with improved well-being, questions remain about the specific physiological effects and duration needed to achieve measurable health benefits. As part of this study, named the Trager MicroForest Project, researchers are transforming an underused city lot into a densely planted green space, providing a controlled urban setting to measure its effects on health.

The study uses Vivalink's continuous multi-parameter ECG monitor to measure real-time changes in heart rate variability (HRV), respiration, and stress levels as participants move between urban concrete and greenspace. Researchers also track environmental factors such as air quality, temperature, and humidity to isolate nature's direct effects on health.

"Tracking physiological responses to our surroundings gives us deeper insights into how even small green spaces impact well-being," said Rachel Keith, associate professor of medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. "Our goal is to equip policymakers, city planners, and healthcare professionals with data that supports a greener and healthier community, ultimately improving public health at large."

While the study is ongoing, early results suggest that spending time in a greenspace reduces stress. Participants reported lower anxiety scores on a validated stress scale, and wearable data confirmed the findings with improved HRV—a key indicator of cardiovascular health and stress resilience. By capturing moment-to-moment physiological changes, researchers aim to provide data-driven evidence that helps cities integrate green spaces, such as microforests, pocket parks, and other small-scale green environments, to improve their community's mental health and well-being.

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About Vivalink
Vivalink is a provider of digital healthcare solutions for virtual care and decentralized clinical trials. Its unique platform leverages physiology-optimized medical wearable sensors and data services to enable a deeper and more clinical understanding between provider and patient.

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