There is concern about the emotional well-being for the nearly 50% of Americans who never spend any time outdoors.
If you search online for topics such as walking barefoot in grass or mental health and outdoors, then you will find dozens of results. Many are opinions, and some reflect genuine, verified research. A common theme is that our daily lives are all about phones, TVs and other indoor pursuits, and our emotional well-being suffers as a result.
Mental Health America says that by spending time in nature, persons of all ages have lower stress, better ability to concentrate and reduced risk of developing behavioral health problems, such as depression, eating disorders and substance abuse.
Parents and schools who provide more opportunities for youth to spend time outdoors may notice improvement in kids’ focus, memory and stress tolerance. Older adults with mobility problems can experience the advantages of nature on a three-season porch open to natural light and the sounds of birds.
Human resource officials may want to offer natural lighting in work areas and green spaces for employee break areas in order to improve focus and ability to handle stress in the workplace. Just as a little exercise is better than none, we should connect to nature wherever and whenever we can, the American Psychological Association recommends.
Here are some other fun findings of studies on self help in nature. Research in Australia almost a decade ago shows how impressive nature’s healing powers can be—just a few moments of green can perk up a tired brain. Students were asked to perform a dull, attention-draining task in which they pressed a computer key when certain numbers flashed on a screen. Midway through the task, half of the students were instructed to look out a window at a beautiful flowering green area for 40 seconds; the other students looked out at a concrete rooftop. After the break, those who gazed out at the natural setting made significantly fewer mistakes than the group who looked at the concrete rooftop. (Lee, K.E., et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol. 42, No. 1, 2015).
Another study showed that even the sounds of nature may restore emotional health. Participants who listened to nature sounds like crickets chirping and waves crashing performed better on demanding cognitive tests than those who listened to urban sounds like traffic and the clatter of a busy café. (Van Hedger, S.C., et. al., Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, Vol. 26, No. 2, 2019).
Don’t get hung up on how many minutes a week you should spend in nature – it’s not like counting your steps. Researchers noticed that how much a person feels connected to the natural world is also important. So parking yourself outside and then never looking up from your electronic device probably won’t enhance your feelings of connectedness to nature.
Take time to absorb the natural world and appreciate it. As with many things, quality may outweigh quantity when it comes to the benefits of a relationship with our natural world.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
