Spending time outdoors is something many of us adore, and most agree that a lunchtime stroll is a mood-booster, especially at this time of the year. The latest research, however, indicates that an actual prescription for a dose of nature may be just what the doctor ordered.
A growing body of research is looking into “ecotherapy” (sometimes called “green” or “nature” therapy) — the use of nature to improve health and well-being. The idea is simple: humans have spent most of their history in natural environments, so getting back to nature is, well, natural on a physiological level.
Some ecotherapy research findings are intuitive to the nature-lovers among us: exposure to nature can ease depression, stress and anxiety, for example. A 2007 study by the University of Essex in Britain confirms past research indicating that connecting to nature — through a short walk in the countryside or working in the garden — has more health benefits than what the simple physical exertion involved would suggest.
But there’s also evidence that being outside improves blood pressure, decreases post-operative recovery time and helps improve the lives of individuals with a range of conditions, including schizophrenia, cancer and dementia.
There’s just something fundamental about nature and its impact on human health, according to Richard Louv, author of The Nature Principle, which tackles the impact of our disconnection with nature and offers ideas on how to how to improve this situation.
He says that what he calls “nature-deficit disorder” is a serious concern that results in a multitude of issues, not least of which is lowered “executive functioning” — the reduced ability to make decisions, understand consequences and organize oneself.
With most of the world’s population now living in an urban environment, there’s no reason not to think that nature-starved adults aren’t also suffering from nature-deficit disorder, which means that most of us aren’t at the top of our game in terms of concentration, creativity and productivity, he says. So-called “green exercise” — physical activity that takes place outdoors — has been found to have more health benefits than the same type of exercise performed indoors (on a treadmill, for instance).
Some doctors are already taking note of the benefits of “vitamin N” by specifically prescribing outdoor exercise to patients. In Louv’s home state of California, for instance, he says, some doctors have banded together to create a program that works with park rangers to “fill” ecotherapy prescriptions: patients are directed to specific trails having set distances and are encouraged to complete the entire prescription.
Other countries are further ahead when it comes to ecotherapy. In Norway and the Netherlands, doctors can prescribe a stay on a “care farm,” where patients work on a farm as a form of therapy. The combination of exposure to the natural landscape, contact with animals and a meaningful workplace allegedly has helped people suffering from ailments as wide-ranging as drug addiction, obesity, work-related stress, depression and learning disabilities.
Japan is also studying the benefits of ecotherapy through the age-old practice of shinrin-yoku (“forest bathing”). Research so far indicates that forest bathing can significantly lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), blood pressure and the heart rate while boosting the body’s immune system.
Even in North America, evidence is pointing to the benefits of regular contact with nature, Louv says. Much has been made of the walkability of a neighbourhood and its impact on health and body weight. In many cases, “walkability” refers to both the proximity of services and green spaces within walking distance of one’s home or work. Not only are people in walkable neighbourhoods generally healthier than their concrete-tower counterparts, according to Louv, but they also tend to treat each other better.
It doesn’t take a backwoods camping expedition to reap the benefits of ecotherapy, says Louv: “We can change our backyards to integrate more nature into our lives.” Planting native species of vegetation will, in turn, attract birds and other wildlife and can ensure that a little bit of nature is available all the time. IE