Learning Module | Connecting with Nature
Chapter Two
2. HEALTH BENEFITS
INTRODUCTION
This section is an introduction for health professionals to the strong and increasing body of scientific evidence behind the mental and physical benefits of connecting to nature.
It aims to highlight specific studies and points that describe why connecting to nature is one of the best things you can do for your health. Hopefully, health professionals will feel empowered to utilize this knowledge for themselves, patients and community.
Research shows that only having the opportunity to access nature is not sufficient to encourage use, we also need to increase level of motivation. This section provides evidence that can be used to communicate: WHY people should connect to nature.
For years we have known that nature is “good” for us. Finally, with several decades of scientific evidence to support the health benefits of connecting to nature, we are met with the opportunity to empower ourselves, patients and community with a clearer, science- based understanding of why.
OVERVIEW OF Benefits
Increases Happiness & Positive Affect
Connecting to nature has been found to:
Increase subjective positive affect, well-being, and quality of life
Increase feelings of happiness and mood, significantly decrease negative feelings
Research shows that greater quantity and quality of parks, overall green space, time spent outdoors, and forest bathing are associated with positive feelings.
References: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
Socioeconomic inequality in mental well-being was found to be 40% narrower among residents who had greater access to green areas. [7]
Reduces Stress & Anxiety
Connecting to nature has been found to:
Manage and mitigate stress and anxiety
Decrease recovery time from physiological stress and mental fatigue
Decrease negative impact of stressful life events
Methods: Studies have measured this through utilizing the PSS (perceived stress scale), measuring salivary cortisol levels, surveying number of health complaints after a stressful life event, heart rate, skin conductance, blood pressure, assessing SNS activity, and more.
Examples of nature connection and reduced stress: gardening, higher amounts green space, viewing nature scenes, being in forest environment
Increases Social Connection & Cohesion
Connecting to nature has been found to:
Increase feelings of social cohesion, sense of belonging and connection to one’s community
Lower levels of loneliness and lower sense of social isolation
Research shows there is a positive relationship between the above feelings and amount of local green areas, including among socio-economically deprived areas.
A study in the Netherlands found that people living with a greater percentage of green areas reported feeling less lonely despite not having more direct contact with other people in the neighbourhood. [2]
Improves Symptoms of Depression
Connecting to nature has been associated with:
Lower levels of reported symptoms of depression in neighbourhoods with higher levels of green space [1, 3, 4]
Walking in nature associated with:
Reduced pattern of rumination and pre-frontal cortex activation after a 90 minute walk [2]
People with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) exhibiting improvement in cognition and affect after a 50 minute walk [3]
Pregnant women in areas of higher green space less likely to report depressive symptoms [4]
Helps Children with ADHD
Children with ADHD have benefited from connecting to nature through:
Improved concentration after a 20-minute walk in the park [1]
Improved digit span backwards test performance to the same levels as children without ADHD
rivalled the peak effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin)
Reduced ADHD symptoms across a diverse sub-population of children with ADHD with exposure to natural settings throughout their normal activities [2]
Improved emotional symptoms, peer relationship problem solving, and ADHD symptoms associated with higher play time in green areas [3]
Improves Sleep
Connecting to nature has been associated with:
Decreased reports of insufficient sleep with increased access to green space. [1]
Increased sleep time and quality among a population of people with sleep complaints. [2]
Learn More: Grigsby-Toussaint, D. S., Turi, K. N., Krupa, M., Williams, N. J., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., & Jean-Louis, G. (2015). Sleep insufficiency and the natural environment: Results from the US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. Preventive Medicine, 78, 78–84. [1]
Future Directions: Research suggests that connecting to nature may be a potential avenue for those with sleeping difficulties.
Improves Cardiovascular Function
Connecting to nature has been associated with:
Decreased cardio-metabolic conditions [1]
Decreased pulse rate, diastolic BP, greater parasympathetic and lower sympathetic nervous system activity
In a large urban center study in Toronto in 2015, they found that having 11 more trees in a city block decreased cardio- metabolic conditions in ways that were comparable to an increase in an annual personal income of $20, 000.
MROBITITY & MORTALITY
Connecting to nature has been associated with:
Lower prevalence of disease clusters in living areas of more green space within 1 km radius, relation was strongest amongst children and people with lower SES. [1]
Reduced mortality due to income deprivation with higher % green space. [1, 2]
Among those living in areas with highest amounts of green space, rates of all cause mortality and circulatory mortality were found to be lower, and income related inequalities were attenuated [2]
Overall Health
Connecting to nature has been associated with:
significantly higher general health perception [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] among individuals living in areas with higher levels green space, including areas of lower SES [6]
Self- reported levels of 3 global health indicators associated amount of green space
Lower # of symptoms past 14 days
Higher perceived general health
Higher scores on a general health questionnaire [7]
This list is by no means exhaustive. While there are many other health benefits of connecting to nature, we hope this list can act as a starting place to share and encourage others.
Case Study: “Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers”
The first long term study assessing mental restoration from nature experiences that also measures the effective “nature dose” needed to spend in nature throughout normal daily life. [8]
Methods: Over 8 weeks, 36 individuals living in urban areas were asked to have a nature experience in an outdoor place that brings a sense of connection for at least 3 times/week for 10 minutes or more.
Results: Stress levels and cortisol levels were measured and were found to drop 21.3% or greater after a nature experience. The most efficient nature dose was found to be greatest between 20-30 minutes.
Read this study: Hunter, M. R., Gillespie, B. W., & Chen, S. Y.-P. (2019). Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 722.
Case Study: “The association between green space and depressive symptoms in pregnant women: moderating roles of socioeconomic status and physical activity.”
Seminal study examining the level of residential green space and association between likelihood of reporting depressive symptoms among pregnant women, including interactions with demographics and socioeconomic status.
Methods: Cohort of 7547 women recruited, binary measure of depressive symptoms calculated using a validated survey. Measured level of residential greenness around participant addresses and access to major green spaces. Analyses examined relationship between green space and depressive symptoms, controlling for ethnicity, demographics, SES. Interactions between ethnic group, SES, and activity levels examined.
Results: Pregnant women who lived in areas of higher greenness were found 18-23% less likely to report depressive symptoms than those in the lowest. This association was specifically significant for women with lower education and who were more active. Physical activity only partially mediated the association.
Read this study: McEachan, R. R. C., Prady, S. L., Smith, G., Fairley, L., Cabieses, B., Gidlow, C., Wright, J., Dadvand, P., van Gent, D., & Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J. (2016). The association between green space and depressive symptoms in pregnant women: moderating roles of socioeconomic status and physical activity. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 70(3), 253–259.