Daily doses of nature
If you’re already an avid nature lover, you’ll have noticed how your body calms down at the sight of nature. Your heart rate slows, you feel calmer and your thinking becomes more clear. Research has consistently shown that even the smallest amounts of nature have measurable effects on your body and brain. From reducing the number of visits to your the GP to improving your mood in the long term, spending more time in greenery can have a lasting impact on your health and wellbeing.
Research suggests that spending 120 minutes in nature per week is the key to maximising your long term benefits
While every bit of nature is good, recent research suggests that spending a total of 120 minutes in nature per week is the key to maximising your long term benefits. This came from a recent UK study involving nearly 20,000 people which found that those who spent at least a total of 120 minutes every week in greenery were significantly more likely to report good health and higher psychological well-being.
It doesn’t seem to matter too much whether you head for a park, woodland, or a forest. So whether that’s by spending more time in your local park during your lunch break, or opting for a long weekend walk with the dog, or taking a five-minute detour through green space on your way to the supermarket, spending time in nature – at least 120 minutes per week – really can make you healthier and happier.
The evidence for the benefits of spending time in nature is now so compelling that doctors in some parts of Scotland actively prescribe it to their patients for conditions from heart disease to depression.
Getting outside to beat stress
One of the most noticeable long-term impacts of nature is on stress. Studies have repeatedly found that exposure to green space can significantly impact levels of salivary cortisol – a marker of stress. Others have shown that exposure to green spaces is associated with reductions in blood pressure and heart rate, which has a significant impact on your risk of heart disease.
And it’s not just the sights of greenery that has a profound impact on our bodies and brains – it appears that even just the sounds of nature can actually change our brain activity too.
Each time you hear the soothing sounds of birdsong or of a babbling brook, brain scans have shown that your attention will naturally shift outward, you will become less engaged in your own thoughts – and this will help reduce levels of anxiety.
