As we start to catch glimpses of budding trees and flowers, feel hints of warmer days
to come, and dream about refreshing outside activities, you’re invited to pause for just
a moment to consider what it is, exactly, that evokes such a feeling toward nature. Why are we so enlivened by the smell and sight of fresh blooms? Why do we long for
warm Spring days in a meadow, salty Summer evenings by the ocean, crisp colorful
mornings in Autumn, and opportunities for cozy fires in the Winter? Perhaps, the simple answer is these experiences connect us to home; our natural habitat. Numerous
studies, hypotheses, and experiences continue to confirm that humans are a part of
nature, rather than merely a hierarchical consumer of it. When we are removed from
something or someone we feel deeply connected to, we feel some degree of
discomfort or grief. Consider how you feel when you are reunited with a loved one
after a prolonged period of being apart. When your partner has been away on a long
work trip, and finally returns… When your child ventures off to forge their own path
in college, career, or their own family in another city… How do you feel during that
first embrace?
Current Issues
It’s no secret that stress is up. If only there was a way to invest in stress as we do the
stock market. It would be a guaranteed investment. Oh, wait, there’s the
pharmaceutical industry… That’s a topic of opinion for another time. In a nutshell,
teen suicidal ideations, attempts, and completions are at an all-time high (9), people
are reporting feeling more lonely and isolated than ever (11), people are reporting
more stress from work (1) and less time/energy/resources for family and fun outside
of work. With the onset of COVID-19 and the many layers of impact stemming from
it - medical, emotional, financial, social, etc., we’ve been drawn toward paying extra
attention to our health, and how it’s been negatively impacted. Even violent crime
saw a spike in prevalence in 2020. Let’s be clear, our health has been impacted long
before the pandemic. Stress related illnesses were linked the leading causes of death
in the U.S. predating the pandemic (1). Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is
prevelant in more than 6 million reported cases for children (2). Mental and emotional
“unhealth” is so prevalent that there aren’t enough therapists to work with the
abundance of requests from people in need. Just in my experience, alone, I turn away
significantly more requests than I take on, simply due to the number of requests far
outweighing my capacity and availability.
We’ve seen a plethora of medications, treatments, and subjective advice-driven
suggestions from folks on social media. We’ve seen the many ways social media is
negatively impacting our lives, accompanied by recommendations to mitigate it (13).
Yet, we don’t seem to be doing much to effectively address these issues. Life
expectancy has seen the largest decline since the 1920s (3). Perhaps, we’re simply
trying to “fix” a set of symptoms, rather than consider what is actually at the root of
our collective problem. What if we start taking a look at the level of expectations we
place on ourselves and receive from others? What if we use those findings to go
deeper in considering why we’re so attached to these expectations, and what rules or
agreements we’re so desperately trying to uphold at the cost of our health, or
sometimes our lives? Let’s be curious before jumping to conclusions by offering fixes
that profit the companies promoting them, but may not actually help in an
approachable and sustainable way.
Scientific Benefits
I am not suggesting that spending more time in nature will immediately resolve all of
our issues. However, I am suggesting that it’s a great start, and will vastly shift your
ways of thinking, interacting, and being, such that the issues above will be more
sustainably resolved in approachable ways. There’s data to support this claim. In fact,
studies have shown that mindful walking or walking with awareness in nature, and
even conducing psychotherapy in a forested environment (8) have significant effects
on reducing depressive symptoms, reducing stress (15), and increasing capacity for
focused attention (7). Even significant increases in production of immune cells, called
natural killer cells, have been associated with inhaling phytoncydes emmitted by trees
(4)(10). Using Profile of Mood States (POMS) scale, folks who participated in forest
bathing, experienced improvements in negative mood and decreased depressive
symptoms identified in DSM 5. Benefits of being in nature aren’t just related to
immunity and mental/emotional health. Researchers found that participants engaging
in “forest bathing” or Shinrin Yoku, a form of forest immersion involving mindfully
walking in nature, experienced reduced blood pressure, decreased sympathetic
nervous system activity, and activation of parasympathetic nervous system -
responsible for regulation and calming (Park, Tsunetsuga). If the above data isn’t
enough to convince you that spending time in our natural habitat is immeasurably
beneficial, try it for yourself. Collect your own data.
Consumption
Richard Louv suggests that much of our present-day disorder and stress can be
traced in one way or another to humans being removed from our natural habitat (16).
When we spend prolonged periods of time, especially days, in nature, we truly begin
to understand his claim, and the merit it demands. We don’t typically feel a sense of
euphoria, awe, comfort, calm, enrichment, etc. from being inside with no access to the
outdoors for days on end. In fact, the common term of phrase is “being stuck inside.”
That sentiment didn’t come from nothing. Sure, you may be able to distract yourself
with a binge-worthy show or hyperactive and stimulating video game or countless
online videos, but what if these platforms didn’t work so hard to keep you engaged?
Why do you think Youtube and streaming apps implement features, like autoplay and
suggestions for next video? They want you to continue consuming. When left to your
own devices, you just may recognize that constant consumption isn’t actually what
you want. It’s neither intentional nor purposeful when we mindlessly float from one
content to another, or click on more content because an algorithm tells us we should.
I’m suggesting that we have a pandemic, separate from COVID, that has been around
much longer, and continues to grow with exponential force - Overconsumption.
Consumption is our new drug. It permeates all other vices, often under the guise of
productivity, connection, or simply entertainment. These are falsities with no
intentional purpose. We are not designed to be productive all the time. Play and rest
are important, crucial in fact (Independent web). Social media and dating apps do not
offer connection, only the illusion of connection. How much do you actually know
about the people you follow? Only what they’re posting. How often do you actually
talk to or see the people you’re following, or do you accept the updates in your media
feed as sufficient? With well over 50,000 options for viewing, just on the top 5
streaming apps, I think this far exceeds entertainment. Perhaps, we’re venturing into
overload. Many people report less freedom of availability in regard to streaming
options, and more feeling burdened to complete the numerous shows they’ve
committed themselves to.
Solutions
Sometimes, statistics and science can feel overwhelming, especially when the data is
alarming. I’ve intentionally left out the plethora of data on negative effects from
climate change. That’s just too much crushing information for one blog post. Perhaps,
another time. Instead, let’s shift toward what we can do with our current predicament.
Psychotherapy, counseling, and other holistic wellness approaches are certainly
encouraged and necessary. We cannot stop there, because not everyone is suffering
from a mental illness or disordered mood or thinking. Plus, therapy can be expensive,
which isn’t a problem caused by therapists’ gouging (not completely), but by a
healthcare system that doesn’t value mental/emotional health enough to pay providers adequately. This, consequently, forwards the cost to the consumer, patient, client. Again, that social and political crisis is reserved for another post.
The Good News is that increasing our exposure to and in nature is easier, cheaper,
more accessible, and far more beneficial than many drugs and many mainstream
remedies. Yards, parks, trails, mountains, beaches, etc. Are available and calling us
home. Perhaps, you’ll try taking a walk outside each day before you sit on the couch
with the TV or smartphone. Maybe you’ll take a breath and look out a window
between ending one meeting and joining another. Maybe you’ll introduce your
children to the awe and wonder of the life all around us by creating joy and fun
outside. Bring your social gathering to an outdoor space, or at least make it hybrid.
One barrier to re-immersing ourselves with the natural world is our belief that we
have to drive to the mountains or beach to truly experience nature. Though these
destinations are incredible, they don’t have to be your baseline. You can start small.
Bring the TV outside to watch the big game or anticipated movie. Walk around your
neighborhood if it’s safe to do so. Have lunch in a park. Walk barefoot on some grass.
Whatever you do, whether screen time or going outside, ask yourself these
questions… Does this serve a purpose for me? Am I doing it because I mean to? Am I
just doing this because it’s habitual/I’m used to doing it? How does this fill my cup?
Does this fill my cup, or just help me avoid draining it?
Invitation
Take the next five to 10 minutes to step outside. If you’re close to a trail or wooded
area, even a park, go there. If wooded areas aren’t available to you, look out your
window, toward greenspace, or even gaze at a live plant inside. Believe it or not, there
is research showing benefits for “green gazing” out of windows (Int J) and having live
plants inside your living and working spaces (Pegas). Allow yourself to be drawn to a
welcoming spot outside among the trees, along a creek, or simply in your backyard. If
you’re able, sit gently in your spot. Get acquainted with your surroundings, engaging
all of your senses. For the next 5-10 minutes, just allow yourself to be curious. You’re
not squirreling about, jolting your attention to anything and everything that moves.
Instead, allow yourself to be curious about what you’re noticing. Shift your attention
or focus with intention and purpose. Perhaps, you watch a squirrel or ant or leaf for
several minutes. Maybe you curiously examine the intricate design of a leaf or flower.
Maybe you even listen to a tree. Depending on where you are, the trees may be
hundreds of years old. You could be curious about what they’ve seen, heard,
experienced in their lifetime.
During this meditation, remember to breathe. Check in with your breath to allow for
smooth, slow pace and cadence, but this is not your point of focus. If you notice
yourself being bored, stay present anyway. Boredom is actually where creativity lives.
It’s not the enemy, despite what infinite access to distractions, like social media and
streaming, lead us to believe. We’ve simply become so uncomfortable with the
discomfort of boredom, we avoid it. Michael Easter discusses in his book, The
Comfort Crisis, his experience with having to navigate through boredom, rather than
distract himself from it. This point, and the entire book, are worth further
contemplation. Seriously, go read that book.
References
(1) https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/t1105-aces.html
(2) https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html
(3) https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-life-expectancy-in-the-us-is-falling-
202210202835
(4) Independent Administrative Agency Forestry Research Institute. Comparison
of therapy effects in different natural environments and research on familiar
forest therapy effect. In: Forestry Research Institute Grant Project Research
Outcome Collection, vol. 46; 2011. p. 1–42. (in Japanese).
(5) https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/lifestyle/the-wellbeingbenefits-
of-rest-and-play-37003316.html
(6) Int J Qual Health Care 2019 Dec 31;31(10):798-803.
(7) Kaplan S. The restorative benefits of nature: toward an integrative
framework. J Environ Psychol. 1995;15(3):169–182. doi: 10.1016/0272-
4944(95)90001-2.
(8) Kim W, Lim SK, Chung EJ, Woo JM. The effect of cognitive behavior therapybased
psychotherapy applied in a forest environment on physiological changes
and remission of major depressive disorder. Psychiatry Investig. 2009;6(4):245–
254. doi: 10.4306/pi.2009.6.4.245.
(9) https://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-suicide-rates-rising-teens-young-adults-
20190618-story.html
(10) Matsubara E, Kawai S. Gender differences in the psychophysiological effects
induced by VOCs emitted from Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica). Environ
Health Prev Med. 2018;23:10. 10.1186/s12199-018-0700
(10) Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Kasetani T, Kagawa T, Miyazaki Y. The physiological
effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing):
evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environ Health Prev
Med. 2010;15:18–26. doi: 10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9.
(11) https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-americans-are-lonelier-and-itseffects-
on-our-health
(12) Pegas PN1, Alves CA, Nunes T, Bate-Epey EF, Evtyugina M, Pio CA. J
Toxicol Environ Health A. 2012;75(22-23):1371-80.
(13) https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/
(14) Tsunetsugu Yuko, Park Bum-Jin, Miyazaki Yoshifumi. Trends in research
related to “Shinrin-yoku” (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing) in
Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. 2009;15(1):27–37.
doi: 10.1007/s12199-009-0091-z.
(15) Ulrich Roger S. Behavior and the Natural Environment. Boston, MA: Springer
US; 1983. Aesthetic and Affective Response to Natural Environment; pp. 85–125.
(16) Louv, R. (2010). Last child in the Woods. Atlantic Books.
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