Connecting with Nature: Nutrition for the Mind and Soul
Written By Devika Chauhan
Imagine, your entire living room is filled with the sweet scent of cinnamon escaping from the oven full of dozens of chocolate chip cookies. bursts of chocolate oozing out under the dim oven light. Tiny flurries of snowflakes twirl around in the frosty air outdoors, while you're inside, toasty with company from the amber warmth of the fireplace.
Now that sounds like the perfect description of a winter afternoon spent indoors, and a depiction of my daily itinerary during the colder season. I love staying indoors amongst the comfort of my home, however, it also causes hesitation towards stepping outside once in a while. Don’t get me wrong. I also enjoy exploring the magnificent world of the outdoors. It's just that, sometimes it's difficult to find the motivation to get to your feet and march out the front door.
This changed when one summer afternoon, I decided to take a walk in my neighborhood. Dazzling beams of sun radiated against my skin, as the leaves above my head arose from the thick branches seemingly blending into each other. The fluffy clouds appeared to weave through each other, creating a tapestry of irregular shapes and sizes in the ocean-like sky. Suddenly, it was that moment I realized, maybe spending time outdoors wasn’t that bad after all. Not only did I enjoy being encapsulated with nature, but I found peace doing so. This relaxed something inside. Possibly pacified a storm which otherwise was spurring waves of worry and stress. Whatever it may be, let's dive deeper into the cause of this sudden tranquility.
It has been proven that increased immersion to natural environments, also known as ‘greenspaces’, have boosted mental functionality. University of Chicago psychologist, Marc Berman, and his student, reported that increased greenspaces near schools indicated enhanced cognitive development. Similarly, adults assigned housing units within areas abundant in green space showed better attentional functionality than those neighborhoods lacking in greenspace. (Weir, 2020) In turn, our rapidly growing urban landscapes contract access to natural environments and ability to harness cognitive benefits. Additionally, it is proposed that natural surroundings trigger a psychological response responsible for reducing stress levels. Listening to the sounds of nature; oceans waves against the shore, leaves in the wind, can also be effective in improving performance in cognitive demanding tasks.
Moreover, exposure and connectivity to nature has shown to amplify mental health sustainability and create positive, long-lasting psychological impacts. Residents of Denmark were observed through the duration of birth to the age of 10 while facing different exposure levels to greenspaces. Results indicated that those who experienced maximum revelation to natural environments were less susceptible to developing psychiatric disorders in the future such as; depression, schizophrenia, mood and eating disorders. (Engemaan et al., 2019) Adding on, immersion to nature lowers blood pressure and hormone levels, while reducing nervous system arousal and improving immunity. (Robbins, 2020) In essence, improving your relationship with local greenspaces, or blue spaces (aquatic environments), can reciprocate a healthier mental well-being, reducing stress, and overall increasing happiness.
I’ve learned that I will always find comfort with a cup of hot chocolate near the fireplace, although perhaps next time, I’ll put my coat on, transfer my drink to a thermos, and discover what the outdoors has in store for me.
References
Engemann, K., Pedersen, C. B., Arge, L., Tsirogiannis, C., Mortensen, P. B., & Svenning, J.-C. (2019). Residential green space in childhood is associated with lower risk of psychiatric disorders from adolescence into adulthood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(11), 5188–5193. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1807504116
Robbins, J. (2020, January 9). Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health. Yale E360. https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health#:~:text=These%20studies%20have%20shown%20that
Weir, K. (2020, April 1). Nurtured by nature. American Psychological Association, 51(3), 50. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature