Nature, nurture and mental clarity: why it’s a “have-to-have” and how to get more of it
I have just returned from a month away in the African bush. It has felt like a mid-year retreat despite having worked most of the time. With WFH making it possible to work from anywhere where there is good enough Wi-Fi connectivity, it has been amazingly simple to have worked off the grid (when South Africa’s national energy has been under tremendous pressure with frequent power cuts), outside of a wet and wintery Cape Town in the warmer North-eastern province of Limpopo in South Africa on the border of the Kruger National Park.
What I discovered in my month of immersion in this amazing wilderness was that an important decision I have been grappling with, whether to commit to further academic studies or not, was resolved with ease and crystal clarity within a relatively short period of time. This had me curious about what scientific research says about the impact of nature on cognition and mental and emotional wellbeing and how we might harness it more in our day to day lives to improve our overall wellbeing and cognitive functioning. After all, most of us live in urban settings and stepping out into a wilderness area is not readily accessible, so what are the other options we might consider?
Most of us have an intuitive sense and a lived experience of the rejuvenating effect of being in nature, however up till recently there has been no scientific evidence to show how much time in nature generates benefits, nor has there been evidence to suggest exactly what the benefits of this exposure to nature is or why.
This article invites you to take note of what the science is saying, think about how much time you are currently spending in nature weekly, and deliberately adjust how you spend your time for improved overall well being and mental clarity.
The scientific studies all point in the same direction according to Richard Louv (author and journalist) of the book The Last Child in the Woods: “nature is not only a nice to have, but it’s a have-to-have for physical health and cognitive functioning.”
What are the benefits:
The evidence suggests that it leads to reduced blood pressure and nervous system arousal, improved immune system functioning, as well as speeding up the healing process. With mental health issues being front and centre, it is encouraging that research shows that time in nature improves mood, increases happiness and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, reduces anxiety and feelings of isolation. Cognitive functioning also benefits from exposure to nature, improving attentional control, working memory and cognitive flexibility. Not only is nature linked to promoting physical, emotional and mental wellbeing but also to reductions in aggression and more community cohesion and reduced crime rates in a UK study.
Whilst the studies are mostly correlational rather than causal, the epidemiological studies, and before and after measures of exposure to nature, demonstrated robust findings that we can take seriously if we want to improve our wellbeing and mental functioning.
Why are the benefits of nature so wide-reaching:
It seems that there are many possible theories why nature is beneficial and the one that resonates strongly with my own experience is the Attentional Restoration theory. According to this theory, in busy and noisy urban settings or in other stressful environments paying attention requires a lot of effort. Research found that in nature we tend to pay attention in a different way, more broadly and less effortfully, leading to a relaxed mind and body. Another hypothesis suggests that because our ancestors evolved in wild settings and relied on the environment for survival, we have an innate human instinct to connect with nature (biophilic theory). A third theory, the stress reduction theory, holds that time in nature triggers a physiological response that lowers our stress levels.
For those of you with children, Richard Louv makes a compelling case for the awe and a wonder that nature offers and coined the term Nature Deficit Disorder to describe the impacts of a lack of exposure to nature on the development of children because of technology, the digital age we live in and our urban lifestyles. In this short video clip, he speaks of nature too as a source of spiritual growth and how cutting kids off from nature has profound long-term implications.
Perhaps another reason why nature is so restorative, is that it is a spiritual experience for many of us, connecting us with our heart and soul and with what is larger and more enduring, giving our brains that all important rest from being in the driving seat. This is certainly what I experienced in my month away.
How much time is enough:
According to a UK study, a dose of 120 minutes per week exposure to green spaces, parks or nature is a threshold level that generates good health and psychological wellbeing. This can be cumulative across the week, but below 2 hours there was no evident benefit demonstrated in this study. What is interesting is that the findings were robust across diverse groups of people, occupations, areas, and abilities including people with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
So with this compelling evidence, how will you weave into your daily life 17 minutes of time in nature (or 2 hours weekly) to reduce your stress levels, increase your cognitive functioning and experience a better quality of life? It is all very well to go on a wilderness retreat occasionally, but what are easily accessible ways to get our nature fix weekly?
10 ways to increase your exposure to nature:
Spend more time watching images and videos of nature when you do not have ready access to green or blue spaces (research has shown improved attention, positive emotions, and the ability to reflect on a life problem). I am sure this is why Wild Earth TV has become increasingly popular during and post Covid 19
Listen to the sound of nature as this has been shown to be recuperative according to a study that demonstrated that the participants exposed to nature sounds (waves crashing, crickets chirping) performed better on a cognitively demanding tests than those that listened to traffic sounds and the clatter of a coffee shop.
You could factor into your routine “forest bathing” (don’t you love this Japanese expression for walking in the forest). There is even a global Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides
Walking in an urban park or hiking with friends during the weekend
Regular visits to botanical gardens if trees are your thing
Gazing at the beauty of the trees in your neighbourhood or city centres, or
Star gazing on a clear night
You could visit an aquarium - think both blue and green spaces
Take a walk by the ocean if you are lucky enough to live in a city on the ocean like Cape Town.
Create or tend to a small garden
As I end, I share with you Wendall Berry’s beautiful poem “The Peace of Wild Things” courtesy of the OnBeing Project that captures the essence of nature’s nurturing power. I hope you enjoy it and that I have inspired you as much as I have been inspired by reading and researching this topic and that you will actively plan time in nature as a must have rather than a nice-to have.
Let me know your stories of natures nurturing power in your own life. It is in sharing our stories that we are strengthened.
Sources:
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