Nurtured by nature: the benefits of nature for your wellbeing.
Apart from the widespread threat to nature, urbanisation is becoming a global health issue. Cities, with their limited outdoor spaces and more sedentary lifestyles, are becoming centres of chronic physical and mental health conditions. This is further worsened by our increased use of technology which means that many of us are spending more time glued to our screens and even less time outdoors. Thankfully, there is growing research suggesting that nature, because of its many health benefits, could have a central role in injecting health back into our cities. Continue reading to find out more about the many benefits of nature and how you can incorporate them into your life.
Nature’s benefits
There is growing evidence that nature benefits both our physical and psychological well-being. It has been shown that spending time in nature can:
Improve mood, including reducing feelings of anxiety, anger, fear, and depression (Berman et al., 2012, Bratman et al., 2019)
Reduce stress and have restorative effects on the body (Ulrich et al., 1991)
Promote ‘green exercise’ which is associated with physical health benefits, including lower blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormone production (Gladwell et al., 2013)
Improve immune function. In Japan, ‘forest bathing’ (a practice of walking, resting, and interacting with forests) has been associated with increased levels of Natural Killer (NK) cells in the immune system which are involved in fighting infections and tumours. (Gidlow et al., 2016)
Enhance cognition, including improving working memory, cognitive flexibility and attention (Schertz & Berman, 2019)
Reduce feelings of isolation (Pieters et al, 2019) and improve social interactions and community cohesion (which is associated with lower crime) (Weinstein et al., 2015).
Give a sense of meaning and purpose in life (Bratman et al., 2019)
Does the ‘nature dose’ matter?
The research tends to suggest that yes, the amount of time spent in nature does matter. What is less clear is exactly how much time we need to spend in nature to experience its many benefits. One study found that people who spent two hours in green spaces per week were more likely to report good health and well-being (White et al., 2019). However, another study suggested that people who spent on average 30 minutes or more per week visiting a green space, experienced less depression and high blood pressure (Shanahan et al., 2016). While a study looking at exercising in nature, found that short engagements in green exercise were associated with improved self-esteem and mood (Barton & Pretty, 2010). Although there is no clear cut-off, even if we take the higher target of 2 hours per week, that is less than 20 minutes of green time each day to get the benefit. Also, I would argue that instead of fixating on a target, it’s more important is to make your interactions with nature a part of your normal lifestyle and to truly connect with nature when you are outdoors (so no scrolling through Instagram on your walk!).
10 ways to incorporate more nature into your life.
Walk more in green spaces. Research has shown that walking in natural environments confers more psychological benefits more than walking in urban settings or on a treadmill (Bratman et al., 2015). If you would like to spice up your outdoor walks, try beachcombing (searching for interesting things along the shore) or geocaching (looking for items in hidden outdoor locations).
Take your lunch break outside or even better, spend some time working outside.
Keep a nature journal. Similar to other forms of journaling, it’s an opportunity to reflect upon your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and in this case with a particular focus on nature. For example, writing about memorable outdoor moments, when you felt immersed in nature and all your senses were engaged, or questions and ideas that arose naturally.
Eat more plants. Diet is another great way of strengthening your connection with nature and there is growing research that having a plant-based diet is associated with health benefits (Medawar et al., 2019)
Grow or pick food. Plant vegetables in your garden or grow food together with others in an allotment or community garden close to you. If neither of these is possible, go fruit picking at a local farm or orchard, or find a foraging group in your local area.
Get household plants. They can bring some green into your indoor space, oxygenate the air, and boost your mental health (Orwell et al., 2004)
Sit close to a window to soak up natural light and maybe even catch a nice view. And make sure to ventilate your space with fresh air (this reduces the build-up of carbon dioxide).
Using essential oils. A study has shown that wood essential oils, such as cedar, also boost immune function (Nakadai et al., 2006)
Listen to nature soundtracks, such as the ocean waves, birds chirping or wind through the trees, or look at nature scenes, for example, hang up a poster of your favourite view or watch a calm nature video.
Help the environment. For example, by volunteering for a conservation project or helping build an animal habitat.
Takeaways
A growing body of research shows the beneficial effects that exposure to nature has on health, including reducing stress and promoting healing. Even as little as 15 minutes each day in green spaces seems to be enough to get nature’s benefits and there are many different ways of tapping into it.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and it has inspired you to connect more with the natural world!
Interested in working together and incorporating nature into our sessions? You can read more about the Walk-Talk sessions that I offer in urban green spaces in Amsterdam, NL.