A Breath of Fresh Healing: The Magically Restorative Power of Nature
Views from backpacking in Colorado
Close your eyes and imagine yourself in your favorite outdoor spot. What do you see? Maybe a lush forest, bright blue ocean, or majestic mountains. What do you hear? Birds chirping, rhythmic waves or a babbling creek, the wind rustling the trees. What do you smell? Woodsy pine and cedar, salty air, blossoming flowers. What do you feel? Soft moss, cool refreshing water, warm sunshine. Relaxed, content, at peace.
Walking in a forest compared to walking in urban area is associated with a 12% decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, a 7% reduction in sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) activity, a 1.4% reduction in blood pressure, and a 6% decrease in heart rate (Miyazaki et al., 2012).
Viewing photos of nature compared to photos of urban areas increases alpha wave activity which is correlated with relaxation and higher serotonin (Williams, 2017).
U.S. college students who actively engaged in at least 15 mins in green spaces at least 4 times per week reported better moods, less perceived stress, and higher overall quality of life (Holt et al., 2019).
Camping along the Appalachian Trail, North Carolina
Several years ago as I browsed the shelves at my local library the title “The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative” by Florence Williams caught my eye. Instantly, I found myself deeply intrigued. Within its pages, I delved into the science behind the benefits of nature and explored the historical and cultural significance of the natural world. Florence Williams eloquently penned about practices such as shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) in Japan, solidifying what I knew intuitively. Nature is sooo magically good for you and me. Whether I opt for a leisurely walk in a nearby park, embark on a hike, or immerse myself camping and backpacking, etc. I always come home feeling more relaxed, refreshed, and content.
So why is that? Let’s get specific.
And keep scrolling for nature activity ideas and for how to bring nature into your home.
Physical Health Benefits
Improves Immune System markers:
In one study, participants who hiked for several hours for 3 days had a 40% increase in natural killer (NK) cells (an important component of our immune system), whereas participants who walked for the same amount of time in urban areas had no change in NK cells compared to baseline (Williams, 2017).
One month later the hiking group still had a 15% increase in NK cells from their baseline!
Fascinatingly, this effect may be caused by phytoncides, which is a fancy name for pleasant tree smells. When NK cells in a petri dish are exposed to phytoncides, NK cells increase in size and release high amounts of anticancer proteins and proteases (Williams, 2017).
Decreases the Stress Hormone Cortisol:
In a review of Japanese nature research literature by Song et al. (2016), many studies suggest salivary cortisol levels are significantly decreased by forest therapy.
In one study, salivary cortisol was 15.8% lower in participants who walked in a forest compared to those who walked in an urban area (Song et al., 2016).
The Korea Forest Research Institute found that inhaling coniferous essential oils can lower cortisol which is great news for those of use who can’t spend all day in the forest (Williams, 2017).
May Decrease Blood Pressure and Heart Rate:
Several meta-analyses have found evidence supporting that nature therapy can decrease blood pressure both among healthy participants and among those with hypertension (Jimenez et al., 2021).
In the systematic review by Song et al. (2016) many studies also suggest the ability of nature-time to decrease heart rate.
Can Improve Heart Rate Variability:
de Brito et al. (2020), compared heart rate variability (HRV) when participants walked in green versus suburban environments. HRV is the measure of the different times between heart beats. Higher HRV is associated with greater resilience to stress.
Though the sample size was small, the researchers found walking in a green environment led to a greater improvement in HRV compared to walking in a suburban environment.
May Improve Blood Sugar Levels:
Ohtsuka, Tabunaka, & Takayama (1998) found a 40% reduction in blood glucose levels after forest walking which was more than expected than for those walking in urban areas.
A succulent spotted in San Francisco, California
Mental Health Benefits
Decreases Anxiety and Depression Symptoms:
Nature exposure is associated with lower levels of anxiety and rumination (Jimenez et al., 2021).
In one study people who moved to urban areas with more greenspace reported sustained improved mental health whereas those who moved to less green areas reported worse mental health (Alcock et al., 2014).
Several studies have found that forest walking increases parasympathetic nervous system activity, which is the part of our nervous system associated with relaxation (Farrow & Washburn, 2019).
Increases Well-Being:
Compared to those walking in an urban setting, people walking in a forest report significantly lower negative mood, hostility, fatigue, depression, and anxiety (Lee et al., 2014; Song et al., 2018).
Park et al. (2017) found that completing a task with a foliage plant nearby was associated with greater psychological and physiological relaxation than when completing a task without foliage plants nearby.
Additionally, viewing fractals, a mathematical ratio commonly found in nature, is shown to activate relaxing alpha brainwaves and the parahippocampus which helps regulate emotions (Williams, 2017).
More views from the Appalachian Trail, North Carolina
Cognitive Health Benefits
Improves Attention Span:
Results from a study by Berman, Jonides, & Kaplan found a 20% increase in attention span after participants engaged with nature for an hour (University of Michigan, 2008). There was no such increase for the control group who spent time in an urban environment.
These results were found regardless of whether it was a warm summer day or cold winter day.
And a similar increase in attention and memory were found when participants viewed photographs of nature scenes indoors that was not found among participants who looked at urban photographs.
Increases Creativity:
In a study by Atchley, Strayer, & Atchley (2012), participants took a Remote Associates Test that measures “convergent creativity” either before or after 3 days of hiking.
Researchers found a 50% increase in creativity scores in the group who took the test after spending 3 days hiking, an effect not found in those who took the test before hiking.
Gathering water from a stream to filter while backpacking in Tennessee
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re interested in diving more deeply into this topic I highly recommend reading The Nature Fix by Florence Williams.
Now, given this information I’m not suggesting you immediately go run out and live in the middle of the woods, no matter how tempting that might be :). And sadly not everyone has safe access to nature (topic that deserves its own blog post). However, I have compiled below a list of ideas on ways to get outside more in your current life, organized by commitment level.
Low commitment ideas
(no special equipment needed, length of time is up to you!)
go for a walk or run in your neighborhood or local park
sit outside for 5 min with no distractions or technology, notice all the ways your senses are stimulated
go birdwatching
watch the sunrise or sunset
walk barefoot in the grass or mud
sit on your porch and watch a storm roll in (safely of course!) or listen to the rain
bring something you normally do inside, outside (such as reading, eating, journaling, yoga, etc.)
go stargazing (especially great if you’re in an area with low light pollution)
find a new place to have a picnic
Medium commitment ideas
(may need equipment or longer length of time)
go for a bike ride or go rollerblading
go for a hike
learn how to responsibly and safely forage food
grab some friends and play rec sports in your local park
create a garden (this can be high commitment depending on how big or involved you want to be in your garden)
fly a kite
set up a rope or tire swing (or find an existing swing) and swing like a kid
set up a hammock in your backyard or local park and hang out in there
photograph nature
go swimming
have a bonfire (if you can safely in your area)
learn about local flora/fauna and then go out and see what you can find
find a farm where you can pick your own fruits or veggies
High Commitment Activities
(requires equipment and/or an extended length of time)
go camping or backpacking (or even try backyard camping to mix things up!)
go kayaking, canoeing, or go on a float trip
go hunting or fishing (responsibly please!)
build a compost bin and use it
raise backyard chickens, bees, etc.
Bonfire with friends on a mountain backpacking in New Mexico
Maybe you’re thinking ok Clare, “these are great ideas but it’s not safe for me to go outside where I live” or maybe you’re thinking “I want to be able to experience nature when I’m inside my home”. Well I get it! When we’re outdoors all of our senses are immersed, bringing our focus to the present moment. Even if you are indoors does not mean you cannot engage your senses. So here are some ideas to bring nature into your home.
Ways to Bring Nature into Your Home
Sight:
hang up nature paintings and/or photography or artwork with fractal patterns; use nature inspired decorations
grow houseplants; place a bird feeder outside of your window; grow microgreens; make a terrarium; get some fresh flowers
keep your curtains/blinds open during the day; hang mirrors in places that will reflect more natural light; wake up to a sunrise alarm clock
Sound:
open the windows (during nice weather of course!); play nature sounds or music (this is one of my favorites!)
Smell:
use an essential oil diffuser; light nontoxic candles; put eucalyptus leaves in your shower; grow an indoor herb garden
Touch:
use clothes and blankets made with natural fibers, go barefoot, make a moss bath mat
A competition with my partner Garrett over who could keep their feet in a freezing Colorado mountain stream for longer! I lost haha
What are your favorite ways of spending time in nature? Most creative? Best memory? What are barriers to getting outside? What makes it easier?
Sources:
Alcock I, White MP, Wheeler BW, Fleming LE, Depledge MH. Longitudinal effects on mental health of moving to greener and less green urban areas. Environ Sci Technol. 2014 Jan 21;48(2):1247-55. doi: 10.1021/es403688w. Epub 2014 Jan 7. PMID: 24320055.
Atchley, R. A., Strayer, D. L., & Atchley, P. (2012). Creativity in the wild: improving creative reasoning through immersion in natural settings. PloS one, 7(12), e51474. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051474
Berman, M., Jonides, J., &; Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207-1212. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x
de Brito, J. N., Pope, Z. C., Mitchell, N. R., Schneider, I. E., Larson, J. M., Horton, T. H., & Pereira, M. A. (2020). The effect of green walking on heart rate variability: A pilot crossover study. Environmental research, 185, 109408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.109408
Farrow MR, Washburn K (2019). A Review of Field Experiments on the Effect of Forest Bathing on Anxiety and Heart Rate Variability. Global Advances in Health and Medicine. 2019;8. doi:10.1177/2164956119848654
Holt, E. W., Lombard, Q. K., Best, N., Smiley-Smith, S., & Quinn, J. E. (2019). Active and Passive Use of Green Space, Health, and Well-Being amongst University Students. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(3), 424. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030424
Jimenez, M. P., DeVille, N. V., Elliott, E. G., Schiff, J. E., Wilt, G. E., Hart, J. E., & James, P. (2021). Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(9), 4790. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094790
Lee, J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Takayama, N., Park, B., Li, Q., Song, C., Komatsu, M., Ikei, H., Tyrvainen, L., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2014). Influence of forest therapy on cardiovascular relaxation in young adults. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014. Article ID 834360 https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/834360
Li, Q., Morimoto, K., Nakadai, A., Inagaki, H., Katsumata, M., Shimizu, T., Hirata, Y., Hirata, K., Suzuki, H., Miyazaki, Y., Kagawn, T., Koyama, Y., Ohira, T., Takayamn, N., Krensky, A. M., &; Kawada, T. (2007). Forest bathing enhancing human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins. International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, 20(2), 3-8. doi: 10.1177/03946320070200S202
Ohtsuka, Y., Yabunaka, N., &; Takayama, S. (1998). Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing and walking) effectively decreases blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. International Journal of Biometeorology, 41, 125-127. doi: 10.1007/s004840050064
Park, S.-A., Song, C., Oh, Y.-A., Miyazaki, Y., & Son, K.-C. (2017). Comparison of Physiological and Psychological Relaxation Using Measurements of Heart Rate Variability, Prefrontal Cortex Activity, and Subjective Indexes after Completing Tasks with and without Foliage Plants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(9), 1087. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14091087
Song, C., Ikei, H., Park, B. J., Lee, J., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2018). Psychological benefits of walking through forest areas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(12), 2804. doi:10.3390/ijerph1512280\4
Song, C., Ikei, H., & Miyazaki, Y. (2016). Physiological Effects of Nature Therapy: A Review of the Research in Japan. International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(8), 781. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13080781
Williams, F. (2017). The nature fix: Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
University of Michigan (2008, December 16). Going outside–even in the cold–improves memory, attention. University of Michigan News. https://news.umich.edu/going-outsideeven-in-the-coldimproves-memory-attention/
