What is an affordable way to reduce stress, anxiety, depression and maybe even improve memory? Take a walk in the forest! Harvard University research shows that being outdoors helps with mood disorders.
“Many people are at risk of mood disorders as they age. They face sudden changes in their lives: health problems, loss of loved ones and retirement, explains Dr. Jason Strauss, chief specialist in geriatric psychiatry at the Cambridge Health Union. “Not everyone is ready to seek help from therapists and drink medicines, so interaction with nature for many is one of the best self-regulation tools available.”
Our brain and nature
Ecotherapy research shows a strong link between time spent in nature and reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. It is not yet entirely clear why walking gives such a positive psychological effect.
In a 2015 study, scientists compared the brain activity of healthy people after walking for an hour and a half in nature and in the city. They found that after walking in nature, the subjects had decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that is activated when intrusive thoughts appear, accompanied by anxiety and negative emotions. “When a person has depression or high levels of stress, this part of the brain malfunctions, and begins to wander in a vicious circle of negative thoughts,” explains Strauss.
Upon closer examination, it became clear that interaction with nature provides other therapeutic benefits. For example, soothing sounds of nature and even silence can lower blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In addition, according to Jason Strauss, “the ability to focus on pleasant things, such as trees and greenery, helps to distract our mind from negative thoughts, and anxiety gradually leaves us.”
Let nature into the house
But what if there is no opportunity to take a walk in the fresh air? It turns out that listening to the sounds of nature can give a similar effect. This assumption was made in a scientific report published in 2017 on the Scientific Reports online resource. The researchers used an MRI scanner to measure brain activity in humans while listening to sounds recorded in natural and artificial environments.
When listening to natural sounds, the focus of attention shifted outward – as it happens during a day’s rest, if, for example, we dream. Listening to artificial sounds directs the focus of attention inward, as happens during states of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. Even viewing photos with beautiful landscapes and favorite places can have a beneficial effect.
Find your place
How much time spent in nature will be enough? “Any period of time will be beneficial, from 20-30 minutes three days a week to three days of hiking in the woods during the holidays,” says Dr. Strauss. “The point is to make interaction with the natural environment part of the normal way of life.”
The format can also vary: from a daily walk in the park to a Saturday outing into the deep forest. “You can combine nature walks with regular exercise, like strength training, or cycling,” recommends Strauss.
Park, forest, field or seashore – the landscape does not matter either. “Focus on the places you like the most. The goal is to get away from the mentally stimulating urban environment and surround yourself with the natural environment.
And you don’t have to do it alone. A 2014 study showed that group outdoor activities are just as effective in terms of reducing depression, stress, and improving overall mental health as solo outdoor activities.
The researchers noted that for people after a recent stressful experience (serious illness, job loss, death of a loved one), group walks were most effective. Dr. Strauss is convinced: “Nature can have a strong influence on our mental state, and we have many ways to use this opportunity.”