Natural Rx: the Healing Power of Being Outdoors
The Brennan boys at Redwoods National Park
It’s old news that a walk in the woods is great exercise and can improve your heart, weight, strength, balance and bone mass. But did you know exposure to nature might also help fight a cold? Relieve depression? Help kids with ADHD? And maybe even prevent certain kinds of cancer?
Here’s the latest research on the power nature to make us happier, healthier and more creative.*
• Improved Mood
Anyone who’s ever stood by a beautiful stream, viewed the world from a mountaintop, or strolled through a field of wildflowers has certainly felt a sense of peace and well-being. Now there’s biological evidence to back it up. Digging your toes in the sand or walking in a forest truly does rev up your “feel-good” serotonin levels and douse the stress hormone cortisol. In numerous experiments, outdoor experiences lit up parts of the brain keyed to love and empathy while reducing blood flow to the area associated with negative thoughts. Being in nature quieted the area of the prefrontal cortex that can obsessively brood over problems, leading to depression and anxiety. In many studies, the alfresco cure often worked as well or better than prescription meds. In addition, the research confirmed even short amounts of time in natural spaces may boost energy levels and improve sleep, two factors that directly affect mood.
• Enhanced Focus
Fresh air pursuits also enhance memory, creativity and the ability to focus. Researchers found that engaging in outside activities increased concentration and problem solving skills in adults and children. In one study, after just 20 minutes in a park, kids did better in reading and math. Similarly, students with ADHD showed significant increases in their ability to control impulses and pay attention, possibly because the prefrontal cortex is also involved in ADHD. In urban environments, youngsters with access to even a small patch of trees or garden showed better social, emotional and academic skills. In other experiments, adults reported enhanced memory, problem-solving, and creativity after time in nature.
• Healthier Body
We’ve long known about the exercise benefits of hiking, which can burn up to 700 calories an hour, is easier on the joints than running, and is good for our heart, muscles and bones. But newer research shows you don’t have to exert yourself to get physical advantages from nature. Studies found just sitting looking at trees reduces blood pressure. Hospital patients with “green” views recovered from surgery faster and took fewer painkillers than those without sight-lines of nature. Even more exciting, early investigations indicate that time in nature may boost immunity, aid vision and even stimulate production of proteins that help prevent the development of cancer. Plants and trees give off phytoncides to protect themselves from insects and disease. Scientists found when study participants walked in the woods, automatically breathing in these chemicals, they produced more of a type of white blood cell that kills tumors and viruses in humans. Although the research is young, studies continue to explore whether forest exposure will prevent certain kinds of cancer.
Best side effects
Nearly 40 years ago, Japanese researchers coined the term shinrin-yoku for “forest bathing.” Since then, medical professionals have regularly prescribed strolls in the woods for myriad maladies. In Norway, consistently ranked one of the happiest places on the planet, people have long embraced the outdoor philosophy of friluftsliv, pronounced free-loofts-liv and translated to "free air life."
In the decades since Japan’s groundbreaking findings, studies around the globe concluded that even with socioeconomic and other variables factored in, a person is at greater risk for disease and death the less "green" their environment is.
For those without exposure to natural places, diverse research has linked a startling number of health perils, including increased chance of anxiety, depression, diabetes, ADHD, infectious diseases, cancer, surgical healing problems, obesity, birth issues, heart disease, musculo-skeletal concerns, migraines and respiratory disease.
Given the wealth of knowledge, shouldn’t we ensure all children have access to green spaces? And doesn’t it make sense for each of us to get our vitamin “N” by spending even small amounts of time in nature? This remedy has no negative side effects and is a wonderful way to improve health and well-being!
What’s your favorite way to tap into what the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen calls "outdoorphins?"
*Excerpted from Eye Rolls & Awe: A National Park Road Trip with Teens