“Go take a hike!” may be just what the doctor ordered. The benefits of nature are coming into vogue, and perhaps not any too soon.
In an article, about why doctors should be prescribing time outside in nature, Laura Smith reports compelling evidence that time with nature (even just looking at nature photos) lowers stress and improves mental health. Among those on the leading edge of the investigation is Roger S. Ulrich, a psychologist at Western Michigan University, who found that “students who viewed nature photos after being exposed to a stressful and demanding task reported increased feelings of affection, playfulness, friendliness, and elation. The group that viewed urban scenes reported feeling sadness.”
According to the authors of Your Brain on Nature: The Science of Nature’s Influence on Your Health, Happiness, and Vitality, exposure to technology might be adversely changing our brains. If Eva M.Selhub, M.D., and Alan C. Logan, N.D., have their way, your doctor may soon be prescribing nature-based therapies. Imagine the world if we begin treating children diagnosed with ADD or ADHD with walks in the park rather than just writing prescriptions for Ritalin.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), since 1982, ‘forest bathing’ or ‘taking in the forest atmosphere’ has been receiving increasing attention in Japan. “Shinrin-yoku”—as it is called in Japan—is valued for its capacity to provide relaxation and reduce stress. Evidence indicates exposure to nature improves the stress-induced cardiovascular responses of “Type A” personalities.
Researchers studied subjects in actual forests as well as doing experiments in the laboratory on the physiological effects of the “total forest environment or certain elements of the forest environment, such as the odor of wood, the sound of running stream water, and the scenery of the forest.” See: Trends in research related to “Shinrin-yoku” (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing) in Japan.
This week, start your own “forest bathing” research by enjoying lunch in the park, taking a walk in nature after work, or skipping the evening news and watching a nature program.
This health tip originally appeared online at https://scs-matters.com/
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Tips from 5 April 2010 to 6 August 2012 are here: Archived Tips
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Rev.Debra Basham
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“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ~ |