Writing and talking about nature is one of the best decisions I have made in life. It is more than just pouring my thoughts about plants out. It gives me so much fulfillment. It is relaxing and calming. It makes me feel better when I am sad.
Times are hard and everyone is sad. I think we should be tilting towards mood- enhancing discussions often because of our mental health. I will like to talk about how being in nature can impact our health positively but before then, permit me to share a story my father once told me with you.
He told me that when Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was the governor of Osun state, he had a program tagged Walk-to-Live. It was meant to promote healthy living, as well as create a high sense of unity and productivity among the people of Osun state.
One of these walks was done in ile ife and some mentally challenged persons joined the governor’s entourage in walking from the town to Obafemi Awolowo University.
Immediately the people walking got to the university, the mentally challenged persons who joined them stood still, looked around and their movement changed.They became so calm!
He told me that after the walk, one of the comissioners gave a speech and she actually made reference to the mentally challenged persons and how the environment can have a calming effect on people.
If you have ever visited Obafemi Awolowo University, my alma mater, you will know it is a beautiful environment. What happened to the mentally challenged persons was that the greenery had a calming effect on them.
Hippocrates said “Nature itself is the best physician”. Join me as we go on the journey to unravel the impact that being in nature can have on our health.
The benefit of nature in keeping us emotionally, psychologically and physically healthy is enormous. Even without any greenery around, spending time in sunlight and fresh air may help you feel better in mind and body. The natural world positively affects the brain and nervous system, allowing for increased relaxation, decreased anxiety and improved self-esteem.
It can mean green spaces like parks, forests and spaces like rivers, wetlands and beaches. It also includes trees on an urban street and private gardens. Surprisingly, even watching nature documentaries is good for our mental health.
“There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well¬being.You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature. And the sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you are not physically immersed in nature.”says Lisa Nisbet, PhD, a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, who studies connectedness to nature
In all honesty, Mother Nature may find the indoor world pretty tough to compete with sometimes. After all, she cannot offer flat-screen TVs, air conditioners or WiFi but she might potentially offer something even more important: Let us look at some of them:
- Better breathing
Air pollution can trigger allergies, asthma and other respiratory diseases. It might surprise you to learn, though, that indoor concentrations of air pollutants are often two to five times higher than outdoor concentrations. But spending more time in natural green spaces could help lower your risk of respiratory concerns.
One 2016 study examining the relationship between local greenery and mortality risk followed 108,630 women for 8 years. Compared to people with the least greenery in their neighbourhoods, people with the most greenery were 34 percent less likely to die from respiratory diseases.
- Improved sleep
Typically, your body’s internal clock follows the sun, making you feel awake during the daytime and sleepy at night. Although, artificial illumination can mimic natural light, direct sunlight has 200 times the intensity of office lights in a closed room. As a result, sunlight affects your circadian rhythm more than electric light.
Exposing yourself to sunlight can improve your sleep by: helping you feel more tired at night, thereby shortening the time it takes to fall asleep, improving the quality of your rest.
- More motivation to exercise
Working out in green spaces could help boost your motivation to exercise because outdoor exercise can:
a.offer a nice change of pace from gyms and make physical activity more interesting and enjoyable
b.make it easier to socialize, as many gyms have unspoken rules about not chatting to the person on the treadmill next to yours.
c.feel easier and less strenuous, according to 2013 research suggesting people who walk outside tend to exercise at a greater intensity and report less exertion
Any activity that gets your body moving in a way that is doable for you, like gardening, washing your car, can offer some health benefits.
4.Boosted immune function
Expert guidance suggests you are less likely to contract the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), not to mention other viruses, when outside.That is because air circulation can dilute the presence of viruses in the air. In fact, according to 2021 research, the chances of transmission are 18.7 times higher indoors than outdoors.
Microorganisms found in nature that are not dangerous can run practice drills with your immune system, in a manner of speaking, to help prepare it for more serious infections.
If you live your life in a completely sterile environment, your immune system can lose its ability to recognize what is and is not dangerous. It may then set off a red alert for any microorganism it comes across, which can lead to chronic inflammation.
So, while soap is a wonderful invention, getting muddy once in a while can be good for you too.
5.Decreased anxiety and stress
Being in nature affects our brain and entire physiology.The sights, sounds and smells deactivate the sympathetic nervous system responsible for the fight-or-flight stress response. Breathing slows, stress hormones decrease and blood pressure lowers, allowing us to shift thoughts away from worries and anxieties.
Where we spend our time matters.–too much time indoors or living in crowded, noisy, polluted cities can increase stress and exacerbate mental health disorders. Stepping outdoors and experiencing nature counters these effects, helping improve symptoms of anxiety. In fact, research shows that more than 67% of people experience relief from stress when they engage with nature.
- Enhanced social connections
Nature walks can enhance social connections and foster meaningful relationships. Engaging in outdoor activities with others provides a shared experience and a common interest, which can lead to stronger bonds.
Time outdoors with a friend, family, or group offers a space for uninterrupted and meaningful conversations.The absence of distractions like technology or time pressures means individuals can fully engage with one another, thus increasing emotional intimacy and understanding.
A study titled What is the impact of nature on human health? A scoping review of the literature by Nejade et al, documented the increasing body of evidence in support of NBIs (Nature-based interventions) as effective tools to improve mental, physical and cognitive health outcomes and highlighted key factors that improve engagement with the natural world.
