Effects of school breaks on cognitive performance and mental wellbeing of high school students in indoor and outdoor environments

Relaxation breaks during the school day are important for pupils in order to remain cognitively receptive and not stressed. The question arises as to which break environments are more or less suitable for providing mental health benefits. The study compared the cognitive performance and mental wellbeing effects of short-term breaks in different indoor school rooms and outdoor public green spaces on adolescent pupils from three schools in Vienna, Austria, during the vegetated season. Seventy-eight high school pupils participated in a field experiment measuring state of mind (Nitsch scale), cognitive performance (d2-R Test of Attention), and perceived health benefits and restorativeness in classrooms, break rooms and public green spaces before and after the 30-minute break. Regardless of the environment visited, pupils reported higher health benefits and a better state of mind. A higher cognitive performance after the break was also measured. In terms of perceived health benefits, state of mind and cognitive performance, the experiments did not demonstrate that public green spaces were more effective than the indoor classrooms and break rooms. Pupils from the 'greenest' school performed best in cognitive performance tests. • Experimental study with 78 adolescents in indoor school rooms and outdoor green spaces • Breaks enhanced perceived health benefits, state of mind, and cognitive performance • Indoor school rooms were perceived as more restorative than public green spaces • No difference in cognitive performance between indoor rooms and green spaces • Little difference in state of mind between indoor rooms and green spaces