The Nature Prescription: Nature For Your Health

Learn How Nature Can Nurture Your Mind

Let nature be your productivity guide.

In our increasingly urbanized world, it's easy to forget the profound impact nature has on our well-being. From the towering canopies of ancient forests to the rhythmic lapping of ocean waves, natural spaces offer a sanctuary for our minds, bodies, and souls. But what exactly are these benefits, and how can we actively invite more nature into our lives?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet." When we talk about nature, we're not just referring to sprawling wilderness. Nature encompasses a vast spectrum:

• Green Spaces: Think of lush parks, dense woods, your own backyard, serene botanical gardens, or invigorating walking trails. The places rich in plant life.

  
  

• Blue Spaces: Consider the calming influence of water such as beaches, rivers, lakes, natural springs, waterfalls, long bath or showers, and the great expanse of the ocean.

  
  

• Everyday Nature: Notice the simple beauty of clouds drifting across the sky, a passing storm, the delicate petals of a flower on your doorstep, or the gentle rustle of leaves outside your window. Even phenomena like the sea’s rough waves can remind us of nature's raw power.

  
  

The Science-Backed Benefits of Embracing Nature For Your Health

The idea that nature is good for us isn't just anecdotal; scientific research consistently highlights its therapeutic power.

1. Stress Reduction and Improved Health: Spending time in natural environments is a potent antidote to stress. Multiple studies (see sources listed below) have shown that interactions with nature can lead to many benefits such as:

• Reduced Cortisol and Inflammation: Exposure to green spaces helps lower levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, and can also reduce inflammation in the body.

  
  

• Improved Life Expectancy: Research suggests that living near green spaces is associated with a longer lifespan and better overall health outcomes.

  
  

2. Enhanced Cognitive Performance: Nature acts as a natural brain booster:

• Improved Attention and Focus: Soft fascination (a state of effortless attention where the mind is engaged but not overstimulated, allowing for mental restoration and reflection) with natural elements allows our attention to rest, leading to improved focus and cognitive restoration.

  
  

• Improved Cognitive Performance: Even brief encounters with nature can enhance memory and problem-solving abilities.

  
  

• Reduces Depression and Anxiety: Consistent exposure to nature has been linked to significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety.

  
  

• Increases Well-being: Individuals who spend more time in natural environments report higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction.

  
  

• Fosters Prosocial Behavior: Intriguingly, research indicates that simply looking at trees, as opposed to buildings, makes individuals less egotistical and entitled, and participants exposed to natural scenery are less likely to take money and more likely to help others.

• Decreases Inflammation: By reducing stress, time in nature can help lower inflammatory markers in the body, addressing a physiological source of discomfort. The famous 1984 study by Roger Ulrich found that post-surgical patients with a view of trees recovered faster and required less pain medication than those facing a brick wall.

  
  

• Combats Screen Fatigue: Staring at screens for hours leads to eye strain and mental exhaustion. Shifting your gaze to a natural, distant view allows your eye muscles to relax and your brain to process a different, more calming type of information, boosting creativity and problem-solving skills when you return to your desk.

Engaging All Your Senses in Nature

Nature isn't just something to look at; it's an immersive experience for all your senses:

• Sounds: Close your eyes and listen to the symphony of outdoor sounds such as the gentle lapping of waves, the trees rustling from a breeze, the crackle of leaves underneath your feet, the joyous chorus of bird songs, or the rhythmic trickle of rain.

  
  

• Smell: Inhale the refreshing fragrances from trees (like pine or eucalyptus), the earthy scent of damp grass, the sweet perfume of flowers (like lavendar), or the distinct, revitalizing smell of the earth after rain.

  
  

• Touch: Feel the soft touch of grass beneath your bare feet, the velvety texture of fuzzy flowers, the rough bark as you give a tree a hug, or the warm, shifting sand between your toes.

  
  

Bringing Nature into Your Life

You don't need to embark on an epic wilderness adventure to reap these rewards. Here's how to integrate nature into your daily routine:

• Direct Engagement:

  • Visit local parks, woods, or botanical gardens.

  • Spend quality time in your backyard such as meditating, looking at the stars, sitting around a bonfire, having a picnic, playing with your dog or family, sitting in a cozy chair or hammock, or "earthing"-walking barefoot in the grass.

  • Explore walking trails or even your own sidewalks.

  • Have a picnic, work, or drink your morning coffee in a nearby park.

  • Practice mindfulness outdoors by observing the shapes of the clouds, noticing and touching the intricate details of a leaf, hear the crunching of sand and gravel under your feet, and feel and listen to the soft whoosh and coolness of the wind.

  • Engage in activities like gardening, tending to houseplants, or landscaping.

  • Buy yourself an indoor plant or flowers. Try naming the plant and talking to it. Planty will thank you.

  • Try "forest bathing," which is a Japanese practice of mindfully immersing one’s self in the atmosphere of the forest. Forest Bathing has been show to lead to a more balanced autonomic nervous system, which reduces sympathetic nervous system activity and stress hormones.

    
    

• Nature-Based Prescriptions: Increasingly, healthcare professionals are offering "nature-based social prescriptions," encouraging patients to spend time outdoors for healing practices. Even Bill Gates has a “Think Week” where he incorporates a digital detox that incorporates walking outside for a cognitive reset and to boost creativity.

  
  

• Artificial Nature (When Outdoor Access is Limited):

  • Watch nature documentaries on platforms like YouTube or BBC Earth. A cozy outdoor nature scene on your tv screen can make a great wall picture substitute. YouTube has great nature videos.

  • Explore virtual reality (VR) sets that transport you to natural landscapes.

  • Use meditation apps like CALM and Better Sleep that feature nature sounds and imagery.

  • Watch and listen to my most recent video-Mindful Walking Meditation for Stress Relief & Anxiety: https://youtu.be/0b9AGcfnZV8

Call to Action: Reconnect with Your Wild Side

Challenge yourself to think about what nature means to you, such as:

·       What is you current relationship with nature and do you need more?

·       How do you typically interact with the natural world?

 ·       Take a moment to simply think about a dense forest versus a sterile building. Notice how you feel. Do you sense a shift in your mood, your breath, your overall state of being?

·       How can you intentionally bring more nature into your life this week? Perhaps a walk in a local park, spend a few minutes observing the sky, or simply bringing a new plant into your home.

Remember, embracing the benefits of nature can be profound for mental and physical health. So whether you are exploring the great outdoors or enjoying the quiet calm of nature in your home environment, connecting with the natural world can release stress, restore calm, and produce a much deserve respite from a hectic inner or external world.

Want to connect with nature right now? Consider listening to the blog summary podcast while you walk or rest in nature:

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References:

• Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207-1212.

• James, P., Hart, J. E., Banay, R. F., & Laden, F. (2016). Exposure to greenness and mortality in a nationwide prospective cohort study of women. Environmental Health Perspectives, 124(9), 1337-1344.

• Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative effects of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169-182.

• Marnie, J., et al. (2021). Nature, Health and Well-being: A review of the evidence. Natural England.

• Meredith, G. R., et al. (2020). The relationship between nature exposure and psychological well-being: The mediating role of sense of belonging. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 69, 101438.

• Park, B. J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Koga, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 18-26.

• Weinstein, N., Przybylski, A. K., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Can nature make us more caring? Effects of immersion in nature on prosocial behavior and self-reported empathy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(10), 1315-1329.

• White, M. P., et al. (2020). Blue space exposure and health and wellbeing outcomes: A systematic review. Environmental Research, 191, 110051.