On January 9th, 2020, Jim Robbins posted the following article on the benefits that nature has for the human being.
A growing body of research points to the beneficial effects that exposure to the natural world has on health, reducing stress and promoting healing. Now, policy makers, employers, and healthcare providers are increasingly considering the human need for nature in how they plan and operate.
In a study of 20,000 people, a team led by Mathew White of the European Centre for Environment & Human Health at the University of Exeter, found that people who spent two hours a week in green spaces – local parks or other natural environments, either all at once or space over several visits – were substantially more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who don’t.
The study by White and his colleagues is only the latest in a rapidly expanding area of research that finds nature has robust effects on people’s health – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The studies “point in one direction: Nature is not only nice to have, but it’s a have-to-have for physical health and cognitive function.”
Studies have shown that time in nature – as long as people feel safe – is an antidote for stress: It can lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reduce nervous system arousal, enhance immune system function, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and improve mood. Attention Deficit Disorder and aggression lessen in natural environments, which also help speed the rate of healing. In a recent study, psychiatric unit researchers found that being in nature reduced feelings of isolation, promoted calm, and lifted mood among patients.
For myself, personally, when I feel stressed, I go for a walk. It is my go-to therapy activity. Walking in nature, at any time of year, has always made me feel healthier physically, mentally and emotionally.
