Why Is Nature Good For Us?
- Symrna Darkmorph
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 18
There is tonnes of research, with good evidence on why and how nature can be beneficial for humans. We often hear things like, "unwinding in nature" , " De-stressing in the mountains" ," finding myself as I get lost on the beach". Now, let's go deeper into the science behind it.
How exactly does nature help us de-tress?
To understand why exposure to nature aids human wellbeing, let's understand the Biophilia Hypothesis, also called BET in short. Anecdotal evidence suggests that humans are innately attracted to nature, in fact, the American Biologist, Edward O. Wilson proposed in his work Biophilia (1984) that this affinity towards nature has, in part, a genetic basis.
Now that we understand a little about BET, let's build upon it by looking closely at two related theories; Attention Restoration Theory (ART) and Stress Reduction Theory (SRT).
Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggests that spending time in nature helps to restore our ability to focus which is lost overtime due to mental fatigue that results from a modern, fast-paced life.
Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) explains that nature can calm us by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering stress, due to our inherent connection with the natural world.
But this is not just how nature helps us, this is just the begining. Nature also helps in cognitive development.
How does nature help improve cognitive function in humans?
Green spaces offer children valuable opportunities for discovery, creativity, risk-taking, mastery, and control. These experiences are believed to positively influence various aspects of brain development. However, this is true not just for children but also for adults.
Nature exposure is linked to higher levels of physical activity and a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases in adults.
An interesting research published shows with the help of a simple experiment how nature helps cognitive function. This research report, authored by Marc G. Berman, John Jonides, and Stephen Kaplan, explores the cognitive advantages that arise from engaging with natural environments. The authors are affiliated with the University of Michigan, specifically from the Departments of Psychology, Industrial and Operations Engineering, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
In their experiment, participants first completed the PANAS for mood assessment, followed by the backwards digit-span task. To further fatigue their attention, they then performed a 35-minute directed-forgetting task.
Next, participants were randomly assigned to take a 50-55 minute walk. Half walked in the Ann Arbor Arboretum (a natural park), and the other half walked in downtown Ann Arbor (a busy urban area, mainly on traffic-heavy Huron Street). Both walks were 2.8 miles long and predefined, with participants using maps and GPS watches to ensure compliance.
After their walk, participants returned to the lab to repeat the backwards digit-span task, complete the PANAS again, and answer questions about their walk. One week later, they returned and repeated the entire procedure, but walked in the other location (e.g., if they walked in nature the first time, they walked downtown the second time). The order of the walks was balanced among participants.
The Results? A significant improvement in backwards digit-span performance after participants walked in nature, but no such improvement after walking downtown. Importantly, these cognitive improvements weren't due to changes in mood or different weather conditions.
How to connect to nature?
Many activities such as birdwatching, nature journaling, ethical wildlife photography, silent Book Clubs in Nature, sketching and painting live in nature are just some of the ways to get started and can help you take the first step towards nature. Learn more ways to connect with nature.
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