Being Outside Improves Mental Health

Being Outside Improves Mental Health

Many prescription medications are available to help manage stress and reduce anxiety. However, for patients facing high stress levels in urban areas, some doctors are prescribing “nature pills” that promote spending time outdoors.

A new study reveals that urban dwellers can reduce their stress hormone levels by walking away from their indoor activities and taking a stroll outside for at least 20 minutes.

“We know that spending time in nature reduces stress, but until now it was unclear how much is enough, how often to do it, or even what kind of nature experience will benefit us,” Dr. MaryCarol Hunter, the study’s lead author and an associate professor at the University of Michigan, said in a statement about the research.

Over an eight-week period, 36 study participants who lived in urban areas were asked to take the “nature pill” and spend 10 minutes or more, at least three times a week, outside. Participants provided saliva samples before and after they went outside to measure their levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. They were also free to choose the time of day, duration, and the place of their nature experience.

The researchers found that cortisol levels dropped at their greatest rate when people spent 20 to 30 minutes sitting, walking, or sitting and walking in nature. After that, the advantages of nature continued to accumulate, although at a slower rate.

“Healthcare practitioners can use our results as an evidence-based rule of thumb on what to put in a nature-pill prescription,” Dr. Hunter said in a statement.

The “20-5-3” Outdoor Formula

Spending time outdoors has many benefits, and neuroscientist Rachel Hopman-Droste developed a research-supported formula that can help people get the most out of it.

Hopman-Droste’s “20-5-3” rule recommends:

  • 20 minutes at least three days a week in a nearby natural setting, such as a local park, community garden, wetlands, or another green space, even a row of trees on a neighborhood walk.
  • 5 hours a month in semi-wild nature, such as state parks or nature preserves.
  • 3 days a year in “true wilderness,” such as camping or hiking in backcountry or remote locations.

“Having a general guideline like this could be helpful to some people,” Florence Williams, author of Nature Fix and Heartbreak, told Yahoo Life.

Relaxing in a Blue State of Mind

A walk along the beach, swimming in a lake, or just being around water gives many people a sense of calm. That’s because they are in a Blue Mind state, according to a theory popularized by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols. In his 2014 landmark book Blue Mind, Dr. Nichols says being in or near water puts people in a meditative state that boosts their happiness and health.

“Water connection comes within the wider umbrella of nature connection, and research shows that feeling connected to nature can support our wellbeing in a number of ways,” Dr. Catherine Kelly, a blue space expert and senior lecturer at the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom (UK), told Country Living.

Just as the Blue Mind state brings a sense of calm, Dr. Nichols says a Red Mind brings a state of constant stress, anxiety, and depression, mostly caused by the demands of our fast-paced world. But being around blue spaces, whether walking or swimming, neutralizes our stress response and helps the nervous system to relax.

“It doesn’t have to be super active, the research shows you can be in or next to water to reap the benefits,” Dr. Kelly told Country Living.

The Outjoyment of Camping

One of the best ways to experience the “great outdoors” is to go camping, whether in a tent, travel trailer, or motorhome. Avid campers find a variety of benefits in the activity, and it’s not just physical, according to a study conducted by a research team at Sheffield Hallam University and Liverpool John Moores University in the UK.

The Outjoyment Report surveyed nearly 11,000 campers and non-campers to find out about their attitudes towards the benefits of all types of camping. The survey found that:

  • 97 percent of campers said camping makes them happy, while 48 percent of campers reported feeling happy almost every day, compared with 35 percent of non-campers.
  • 93 percent of survey respondents said they go camping to enjoy being in nature.
  • 93 percent of campers value camping for the benefits it gives to their health and well-being.
  • 83 percent of respondents felt positive about health professionals prescribing spending time in nature as an effective treatment for poor mental health.

Additionally, respondents said camping is not just for adults. The survey found that 94 percent of respondents believe children should learn about the outdoors, while 93 percent feel that camping should be part of students’ formal education, up from 59 percent in the 2011 Outjoyment Report.

Sabina Voysey, director general of The Camping and Caravanning Club, which commissioned the report, found the latest survey results not only encouraging but something that can possibly help shape policy.

“Our vision is for a society in which camping and memorable outdoor experiences can play a full part in building a happier, healthier nation,” Voysey said in a statement about the report. “Our goal is to raise the profile of camping and the countryside, and to urge policy-makers in government to harness the findings of our report to shape people’s outdoor enjoyment—especially through camping—as it will ultimately help to make them healthier and happier people.”

In the Forest

In the 1980s, Japan faced a national health crisis, and leaders sought to address the rise in stress-related illnesses associated with longer work hours in technology and other industrial work. So, they reviewed decades of research and found a proven way of relieving stress: Forest therapy. This practice was inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, also known as “forest bathing.”

Forest therapy relies on trained guides who maintain a slow pace on purpose so that people can fully engage with nature using their senses. It encourages people to be mindful of their bodies, appreciate the sensation of being alive, and reap benefits from their connection to the natural environment.

Studies have found it beneficial to be around trees because they produce essential oils called phytoncides that have antimicrobial properties and may influence immunity. One Japanese study found that people who spent three days and two nights in a forest experienced an increase in both the number and activity of immune cells called natural killer cells, which help fight viruses and cancer, compared to those who went on a trip to an urban area.

Additionally, results from a study conducted in 24 forests across Japan showed that forest environments promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, and help to reduce depression.

Source Links:

https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2019/04/09/20-minute-nature-pill-relieves-stress/
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722/full?utm_source=fweb&utm_medium=nblog&utm_campaign=ba-sci-fpsyg-nature-pil
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/this-is-how-much-time-you-should-spend-outside-to-reap-the-health-benefits-according-to-the-20-5-3-rule-100036375.html
https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wellbeing/a61834107/blue-mind-theory/#r3z-addoor
https://www.shu.ac.uk/news/all-articles/latest-news/outjoyment-camping-report
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-forest-therapy-enhance-health-and-well-being-2020052919948

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