Fifty years ago there were few studies on the relationship between spending time in nature and mental health. At that time there were no cell phones, no personal computers, and no internet. By the early 90s lifestyles had changed significantly due to technology, and the increasingly sedentary, indoor ways of living began to harm the mental health of many people. Psychologists and other scientists began to explore ways to remedy this problem, and many began studying how immersion in nature or other degrees of exposure to it can positively affect mental health
Today you’ll find close to a thousand studies from scholars at major universities all over the world including Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, and Oxford, proving that sufficient exposure to nature can work wonders for our minds. These studies prove that we need nature. These are not the opinions of laymen like me, or environmentalists or outdoor adventurers or self-help gurus; they are the work of clinical psychologists and other top scientists. There are also tons of articles, books, and videos that build on these studies.
In the INeedNature Blog we hope over time to look in detail at some of the most important studies, to review books, to summarize articles, and to showcase contributions from our blog readers and site users. But for now, just so that you can see why we all need nature, check out the two articles below.
- Nurtured by nature
Psychological research is advancing our understanding of how time in nature can improve our mental health and sharpen our cognition
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature
“… exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.”
This article can be found on the website of the American Psychological Association which is “the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 122,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members.”
2. Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health
A growing body of research points to the beneficial effects that exposure to the natural world has on health, reducing stress and promoting healing. Now, policymakers, employers, and healthcare providers are increasingly considering the human need for nature in how they plan and operate.
https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health
This article is from YaleEnvironment360, a website of the Yale School of the Environment at Yale University.