{"id":4117,"date":"2022-12-09T15:25:08","date_gmt":"2022-12-09T15:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.treesforstreets.org\/?p=4117"},"modified":"2023-02-05T16:50:29","modified_gmt":"2023-02-05T16:50:29","slug":"nature-and-mental-health-the-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.treesforstreets.org\/nature-and-mental-health-the-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Nature and Mental Health: The Science"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most of us can relate to the feeling of relaxation that comes from spending time close to nature, but what exactly is it that causes this effect and can it be backed by science?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone has good days and bad days, and we\u2019re all susceptible to the feeling of stress, depression and other mental health problems. We\u2019ve previously written about how trees and being in nature support mental health<\/a> and quoted a 2021 survey where 73% of respondents said that connecting with nature helped them during the pandemic. The link between nature and mental well-being has been written about for centuries by poets, and even Florence Nightingale noted the healing power of plants when treating soldiers in the 1800s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the last few decades, a growing body of scientific research has revealed myriad ways in which nature is fundamental to our health, and suggests that people who live in greener environments tend to be healthier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Urban Greenery is Important<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A 2019 study by University of Michigan scientists showed that when people spend over twenty minutes in \u2018urban nature\u2019, levels of two key physiological biomarkers of stress drop – salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase. Participants spent ten minutes outdoors close to nature three times a week, and it didn\u2019t matter what sort of activity they were doing to get these effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Twenty minutes was found to be the optimum time to get the best results, and longer than this didn\u2019t make a significant difference to hormone levels. In fact, as little as 3-4 minutes has been shown to make a difference by reducing pulse rate and any muscle tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a comforting fact, given that most of the UK\u2019s population lives in towns and cities. And shows just how important it is that we work to make our streets greener.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How does it work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many factors contribute to the soothing effect of time spent in nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

The fractal patterns which are seen in trees, flowers and plants are known to provoke brain waves that help us feel relaxed and focused. This is because the vessels in our retinas are also fractal, so when we view a fractal shape it causes our eyes to lock into place. Prof. Richard Taylor at the University of Oregon made the discovery<\/a> and suggests that this is part of our inherent genetic memory – harking back to our hunter-gatherer days when plants and trees indicated the presence of a water source.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Bird song, and other natural sounds, have been linked to decreased stress and a more balanced nervous system. Even people under anaesthetic produce fewer of the markers associated with stress when a recording of birdsong or soft wind is played to them.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n