The following article was written by Jaden Johnson, an Intern at the Woodland Dunes Nature Center.
Have you ever wondered why you feel better after being out in nature? Whether it’s been 5 minutes or 5 hours, chances are you have noticed the difference in how you feel, both physically and mentally. It turns out there are many scientific advantages to being out in nature.
One of the main impacts on health is stress. Finding a natural way to reduce stress is both financially beneficial and easier to access than a doctor’s appointment. Studies have shown that being out in nature reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), which, in turn, slows your heart rate and reduces blood pressure. Another perhaps unknown benefit is that of trees. Have you ever wondered why forests have that specific smell? Well, it is because trees release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) called phytoncides, which inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi or habitation of insects within them. You might be worried that humans breathing this in is dangerous, but fear not: it has actually been shown to improve immune system functioning, particularly by increasing the amount of our NK (natural killer) cells, which help reduce inflammation and fight cancer-causing cells. In a similar vein, areas after rain or near a waterfall or coastline have heavy concentrations of negative ions from the atomized water particles, which have shown to increase the amount of serotonin we receive.
Besides more noticeable physical symptoms being relieved, going outdoors in a green space has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms. Vitamin D from the sun is linked to lower anxiety and depression rates, and there have been studies of children outside in green areas having their ADHD symptoms greatly reduced. Humans suffer from attention fatigue, where our unnatural daily lives are overwhelmed by the constant switching of focus from one thing to another. Because of this, one of the most noticeable changes from being out in nature is the increased ability to concentrate and reduced attention fatigue. This is due to the ‘soft’ focus that ecosystems around us compel us to engage in. Things such as leaves rustling, water trickling, or birds singing all bring our brain to focus on them, but not as an intense, directed focus like you would have at work, but instead as a freely wandering focus between subjects.
Being out in nature is great for you, but even just seeing nature can provide many health benefits. Light plays a big role in our sleep cycles, and getting outside, especially when you first wake up, it helps regulate our internal clock. The light helps produce more melatonin (chemical that helps you sleep) at night and therefore results in you getting a more healthy and restful sleep. There have also been studies showing that when a hospital patient even just has a view of nature outside of their window, it can lead to reduced pain, better recovery from fatigue, and, overall, a faster recovery compared to other patients.
Looking back at all these benefits, it is only another reminder of how important for your health it is to get outside. Even the smallest exposure to nature can help, from being outside in a green space for hours to simply viewing it through a window. Whatever you can do to experience nature, try it; it’s good for your health!
