The Importance of Nature in Our Lives

AnetFou / Pixabay

You may have heard the term “ecopsychology” before, or perhaps you haven’t, but it’s a concept that impacts our lives whether we’re aware of it or not. Ecopsychology was coined in the early 1990s by Theodore Roszak of California State University, East Bay. It’s independent of conventional psychology. Roszak wasn’t keen on evolution or genetics. However, he believed that the health of the planet is inescapably connected to the psychological health of the human species – both individually and as a whole. In the past 30 years, ecopsychology has expanded, and parts of the theory have gained recognition throughout the world as being beneficial to our health and well-being.

Perhaps the most important aspect of ecopsychology is the idea that, although the mind is shaped by the modern, increasingly technological world, the underlying structure of the mind, housed in our brain, is a product of nature. In recent years, a growing body of research has indicated the many beneficial effects that spending time in the natural world has on our health – both physical and mental. What we’ve discovered is that being in a natural environment reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, and promotes healing. In fact, healthcare providers, employers, and policymakers are now considering our need for nature in how they plan and operate.

If you’re wondering how long it takes for people to be in nature before they feel healthier and have a robust sense of well-being, the answer may surprise you: Two hours a week is all it takes (and it doesn’t have to be all at once).

Recently, social psychologist Mathew White of the European Centre for Environmental and Human Health at the University of Exeter and his team conducted a study of 20,000 individuals. They found that when people spent two hours a week in green settings, such as parks or other natural environments — either all at once or spaced over several visits — they were much more likely to report feeling in good health and that their psychological well-being had improved. But the key was two hours: No benefits were reported by people who either didn’t spend time in nature, or spent less than two hours per week in nature.

These robust, positive results spanned ethnic groups and occupations, income ad health status. While being outdoors in nature is known to be good for people’s health and well-being, it wasn’t until this study that we had a definitive length of time – two hours – to know how much was enough time. And again, it doesn’t have to be all at once. If you spread the two hours out over a week, you’ll feel the benefit, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Global Change

With the increasing use of smartphones and other devices taking up much of our time, researchers, health experts, and government officials around the world are proposing extensive changes to bring nature into our everyday lives. We see the fruits of their labor in new or enhanced parks in our cities — and in the design of new schools, institutions, and businesses which will have bigger windows with views, and greater access to trees and green spaces, or blue spaces when the environment includes water.

The Scandinavian tradition of “forest schools” in which learning takes place outdoors in natural settings, is growing in the United States, especially in the Pacific Northwest. And in the U.S., The Trust for Public Lands completed a 7-year project mapping parks and identifying places in need of parkland. Their goal is to provide parks within a 10-minute walk to 14,000 communities, representing 86 percent of the country. Further, a diverse group of healthcare providers in the U.S. is starting to prescribe nature to increase health, happiness, and foster environmental stewardship.

In Japan, researchers have been studying “forest bathing,” another name for what many call a walk in the woods. These researchers surmise that when the aerosols in the forests are inhaled during a walk, NK ("natural killer") cells in the immune system are elevated to fight off tumors and infections. A follow-up study proved this point, as essential oils from cedar trees were released in hotel rooms where people slept with the result a significant spike in NK cells. Globally, the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides provides clients with information on how to help heal through immersion in nature. The group’s slogan: “The forest is the therapist.”

Source: NatureWonders / Pixabay

Other Ways We Benefit From Nature

If taking a walk in the woods or just being in nature is beneficial for us, would getting our hands dirty by gardening work as well? The answer is a resounding yes; a number of scientific studies on the effects of gardening have reported improved mental health.

When we dig in the dirt, our spirits are lifted. One reason is that digging stirs up microbes in the soil, and when these microbes are inhaled – like the aerosols inhaled while walking in the woods – serotonin production in the body is stimulated, which makes us feel relaxed and happier.

There are other ways to bring nature into our environment that you may be doing already. Growing living plants and flowers or tending to a potted herb garden are ways to bring nature into our homes and work environments. Our pets help keep us connected to the natural world as well. Taking the time to notice and appreciate trees, flowers, and greenery, even when we live in cities, can help calm our minds and soothe our souls.

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This touches upon another aspect of the importance of nature in the lives of many: the spiritual aspect. A multitude of people, after immersing themselves in nature while enjoying an activity such as skiing, hiking, or surfing, describe what they felt was a spiritual experience. Others have shared that, instead of manmade structures built for worship, they feel closer to their higher power in a natural environment where they can freely express their joy and gratitude. This is understandable: We are born of nature. We live on Earth. And when we die, our bodies return to the earth. No matter our religious belief – or whether we have one – nature is an overarching force that envelopes all of us.

We see many instances throughout our history, recorded in books and religious texts, when people leave behind the noise of the city and venture into the wilderness to gain clarity, to seek guidance, feel closer to their ancestors, and commune with God. It is as if we innately know, deep inside, that when we are surrounded by the natural environment, we open our minds to something pure, rejuvenating, nurturing – and perhaps spiritual.

Increasingly, we are waking up to the therapeutic effects of nature, and none too soon because studies have found that stress and anxiety about climate change is a growing concern. And what’s one of the best cures for this? A healthy dose of nature.