Nature

[ysabetwordsmith]

Spending time in nature triggers a calming chain reaction in the brain

People often say a walk in nature clears the mind. Scientists have long suspected the effect is real, but exactly what happens inside the brain has been harder to pin down.

A sweeping synthesis of 108 brain-imaging experiments now shows that natural environments consistently quiet neural stress circuits and shift the brain toward a calmer, more integrated state.


Here are a few ideas for spending more time in nature ...

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Comments

[excubitus]

Interestingly, videos of nature also helped, at least in some experiments. I wonder, did they compare walking in nature to walking in urban settings to measure calming effect, and was the difference significant? I feel that walking in the streets is calming too, to the point. Or I want to believe in it, since nature is out of reach.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

From what I've seen, study results vary, but a general pattern is:

* A little time in nature is good, but more is better.

* Small amounts of nature (like street trees) are good, but large amounts (like a city park) are better.

* Going outdoors, even in a city, is better than staying indoors; but actual nature is considerably better.

* Indoor examples (like houseplants) are good, but outdoor ones are better.

* Artificial nature (like fake plants, artwork, or videos) have relatively minor effects but are better than nothing. The real thing is much better.

* Birds make people happy; the more different kinds of birdsong, the better effects on mental health. This is likely because birds need a lot of the same things (e.g. clean air, water, plant life) as humans do.