It won't surprise those who often enjoy the great outdoors to know that nature is extremely beneficial for our mental wellbeing.
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If you think about how you feel physiologically and mentally when you're in an unpleasant environment, it makes sense that a pleasing environment reverses that experience. Research published last year showed that time spent in nature was associated with significantly less anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2020, Canada started a program that allowed doctors to prescribe access to national parks. Nature prescriptions have become a global wellness trend and are being implemented around the world. Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, describes the lifestyles of the world's longest-lived people as those who have movement engineered into their daily lives.
Since many of us don't have the benefit of access to a national park, how can we reap the benefits? While spending time in nature is the gold standard, there are other ways to bring the outside in. For example, creating green spaces in buildings. One study showed that offices with plants increased productivity by 15 per cent and also lowered physiological stress, increased attention span and improved wellbeing. The research demonstrating the positive effects of nature on our brain is staggering. Another study showed that those who take a brisk walk daily for at least 25 minutes could be adding at least three years to their lives. One of the theories why nature might be so important for our psychological health explains that it may engage our 'default mode' brain network. In doing this, it engages an area that is active when we are in a state of introspection - being thoughtful and reflective. The evidence is quite powerful that heading outdoors offers priceless benefits.
