Our increasingly urbanized, indoor, screen-driven, stress-filled lives are taking a huge toll on both our physical and mental health. Luckily, science has found a sure remedy, and it’s been with us all along: Nature.
Nature’s Benefits, Quantified
Traditionally we’ve looked to the natural world to inspire, heal, and enrich us. Now researchers have the technology to directly measure the physical effects of Nature experiences, adding weight and insight to that body of historical wisdom.
Our increasingly urbanized, indoor, screen-driven, stress-filled lives are taking a huge toll on both our physical and mental health. Luckily, science has found a sure remedy, and it’s been with us all along: Nature.
Nature’s Benefits, Quantified
Traditionally we’ve looked to the natural world to inspire, heal, and enrich us. Now researchers have the technology to directly measure the physical effects of Nature experiences, adding weight and insight to that body of historical wisdom.
Consequences of a Lost Connection
Humans evolved as part of the natural world, and we have an innate connection to it. Biologist and educator EO Wilson calls this connection biophilia, “a rich, natural pleasure derived from being surrounded by living organisms, including plants and animals.”
Modern culture, however, is turning us indoors. We’re spending our time in an increasingly urban, sedentary, screen-lit lifestyle.
In his landmark book Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv coined the term “Nature-Deficit Disorder” to describe the problems that kids can develop when they’re isolated indoors, but our retreat from Nature has affected every age group. We’re enduring exploding rates of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, myopia, and mental illness and mood disorders, including depression and suicide. In fact, the World Health Organization reports that suicide rates worldwide have increased 60% over the past 50 years, most strikingly in the developing world—and they predict that by 2020, depression will be the second most prevalent medical condition in the world.
We Need to Reconnect
How do we repair lifestyles that are literally making us sick? It turns out that the safest, most effective remedy is also the simplest: Reclaim our connection to Nature. The benefits of this “Nature Prescription” are immense:
Put the Nature Rx to Work Yourself
Even small changes have big benefits, no matter what your age or stage of life.
Reconnecting to the natural world can heal so much of what ails us today. Best of all, even when taken liberally, Nature has no side effects (except maybe that you’ll keep wanting more)!
There’s a global environmental bonus to the Nature prescription, too: When we appropriately value the natural world and the benefits it provides, we’ll be more likely to recognize that it deserves our care and protection in return.
References
To dig deeper into the benefits of the Nature prescription, try these links.
Adam Alter, “How Nature Resets Our Minds and Bodies,” TheAtlantic.com, Mar. 29, 2013. Accessed Oct. 3, 2016.
Carol Sorgen, “Do You Need a Nature Prescription?” WebMD.com, Jun. 19, 2013. Accessed Jul. 12, 2016.
Catherine A. Wood, “7 Reasons to Get Outside NOW,” HuffingtonPost.com, Oct. 3, 2016. Accessed Oct. 4, 2016.
Chris Mooney, “New research suggests Nature walks are good for your brain,” WashingtonPost.org, Jun. 29, 2015. Accessed Jul. 5, 2016.
Florence Williams, “This Is Your Brain On Nature,” NationalGeographic.com, Jan. 2016. Accessed Oct. 5, 2016.
Jill Suttie, “How Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative,” University of California, Berkeley, Mar. 2, 2016. Accessed Sep. 20, 2016.
Lauren F. Friedman and Kevin Loria, “11 scientific reasons you should be spending more time outside,” BusinessInsider.com, Apr. 22, 2016. Accessed Oct. 4, 2016.
Susan L. Prescott and Alan C. Logan, “Connecting with Nature Has Real Health Benefits,” HuffingtonPost.ca, Apr. 29, 2016. Accessed Jul. 12, 2016.
T.M. Luhrmann, “Is the World More Depressed?” NYTimes.com, Mar. 24, 2014. Accessed Oct. 4, 2016.
University of Minnesota, Center for Spirituality & Healing and Charlson Meadows, “How Does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing?” Jun. 25, 2014. Accessed Sep. 29, 2016.
WomensHealthMag.com, “Are You Getting Enough Vitamin N?” Mar. 1, 2013. Accessed Jul. 8, 2016.