Why Nature is Good for Your Brain and Your Body
New Blog Series: Research Reveals
Welcome to the first edition of our new Hope & Healing blog series, Research Reveals. Every few weeks, we’ll be breaking down a peer-reviewed study in the mental health field to equip you with the knowledge you need to go from surviving to thriving. This week, we’re unpacking a study called, “Doses of Neighborhood Nature: The Benefits for Mental Health of Living With Nature.”
Nature and its Restorative Effects
Most of us know from experience how soothing it is to spend time in the great outdoors. Whether that looks like sipping your morning coffee on your front porch, looking out at the snow from your living room, or driving home on a fall day when the trees are shedding their leaves, we’re all familiar with the calming effect that nature has on us. And it’s not just in our head—psychological and physiological studies back this up!
The authors of this particular study cited previous research that affirms that “interactions with nature promote psychological restoration, improved mood, improved attention, and reduced stress and anxiety.” Regarding improved attention, experiencing the natural world has been shown to promote mental recovery for fatigued minds (think of how your brain feels like it can take a breath when you go on a walk after crunching numbers or sending emails for hours). But nature’s benefits aren’t just psychological; they’re physiological too. Translation: both our brains and our whole bodies are restored by time spent in the natural world.
The Amazing Power of Plants… and Birds?
Listening to bird songs is linked with decreased stress and improved attention.
This study found that we benefit by interacting with nature (e.g., spending time gardening or going on a walk) and passively observing nature (looking out the window while you do the dishes). It may not be surprising that the authors found that the presence of vegetation (trees, plants, grass, etc.) is associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. But in addition to vegetation, the authors found that the presence of birds promotes mental well-being, too!
Yep, that’s right.
People who live in neighborhoods that have a greater abundance of vegetation and a greater abundance of birds report reduced levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Specifically, listening to bird songs is linked with decreased stress and improved attention. But the positive effects of said birds and greenery are experienced most by those that spend the most time outdoors. The study respondents that reported spending less time outside than they usually do also reported a decline in their mental health.
What This Means for You
So what do we do with this research? Is mental restoration reserved only for those that live across the street from a park or in the middle of the woods? Certainly not! The study found that even low levels of “key components of neighborhood nature” (i.e., greenery and birds) is associated with better mental health.
So, you heard the experts—take a few minutes to go on a walk this week, or let your mind wander while looking out the window, or get lost on a drive through neighborhoods that have more trees than your own. And check out the Put It Into Practice section below for a few more creative ideas as to how you can increase your nature time this week—even if you’re living in a concrete jungle.
Verified Reliable Sources for The Content in this Article: Daniel T. C. Cox, Danielle F. Shanahan, Hannah L. Hudson, Kate E. Plummer, Gavin M. Siriwardena, Richard A. Fuller, Karen Anderson, Steven Hancock, Kevin J. Gaston, Doses of Neighborhood Nature: The Benefits for Mental Health of Living with Nature, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 2, February 2017, Pages 147–155, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biw173
Put It Into Practice
What are some ways we can cultivate our connection to the natural world in our everyday life?Get to planting
If you don’t live in a neighborhood with trees galore, plant some! Not only will this get you outside during the process and allow you to learn something new, it’ll make you more inclined to spend more time outside to enjoy your hand-planted trees, flowers, shrubs, or succulents.
Bring the birds to you
If after reading this article you realize there aren’t many birds offering you soothing songs on your street, there’s a way to remedy that. Buy a bird feeder, a bird bath, or both, and watch them come to you! There’s something relaxing about looking out the back window to see blue jays and robins splashing around in the bird bath. And who doesn’t love seeing a hummingbird? Did you know there are special bird feeders that are designed to attract hummingbirds in particular?
Visit a park
Maybe you live in an apartment downtown, or you rent somewhere and adding your own landscaping isn’t an option. Make a habit of visiting a local park every week, and enjoy the greenery and the wildlife there. Plus, it’s free!
Watch nature documentaries
Okay, we know this is somewhat cheating, but still—feasting your eyes on the wonders of marine life or the beauty of the northern lights, even if on a screen, is a great way to unwind and give your brain a break, especially if it’s too cold or too rainy to spend time outdoors.
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Luke Lewallen, Mental Health Counselor, Therapist