When we need a recharge: 5 ways walking in natural spaces brings healing
Holidays, as represented on social media or in holiday films, are often filled with joy, connection, and rest. For some, there is also an element of stress.
I love my family.
I also freely admit family can be tricky to navigate.
For those of us who enjoy times of quiet, solace, and introspection, holidays can make our social battery feel depleted. Are you seeking ways to recharge?
By the time you finish reading this piece, you will know the ways in which nature can be good for us — how this form of solitary or social play (if you choose) can have medicinal benefits. How do I know all this? I have written two books on play — one for educators, one for general humans, and presented multiple lectures on the power of play.
But this is also a selfish piece. I’ve found myself craving outdoor walks — even more so if my feet don’t have to touch concrete or paved surfaces. A walk in the woods or even grassy spaces has been fulfilling for me in ways a walk in the neighborhood can’t match. Which led me to ask why?
Why does an outdoor walk affect us emotionally?
Walking in green spaces, such as parks, forests, or any green space offers a range of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Here are some of the advantages with supporting research for you nerdy types like me:
1) Stress Reduction:
The sights and sounds of green spaces have a calming effect, helping to reduce the production of stress hormones.
One meta analysis of 52 articles from Japan found evidence suggesting that exposure to natural environments may reduce cortisol levels, one of the most frequently studied biological markers of stress (Song, Ikei, & Miyazaki, 2016).
A recent systematic review of more than 40 experimental studies indicates that measures of heart rate, blood pressure, and perceived stress provide the most convincing evidence that exposure to nature or outdoor environments may reduce the negative effects of stress (Kondo, Jacoby, & South, 2018).
2) Improved Mood:
Walking in green spaces, specifically forest walks, has been associated with improved mood and a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression. The natural environment provides a pleasant and peaceful setting that can positively influence mental well-being.
A 2015 study randomly assigned sixty adults to a 50-min walk in either a natural or an urban environment in Palo Alto, California, and found that compared to urban experience, nature experience led to affective benefits (decreased anxiety, rumination, and negative affect, and preservation of positive affect) (Bratman, Daily, Levy, & Gross, 2015).
A later study examining walking in different environments observed the largest and most consistent improvements in psychological states associated with forest walks (Koselka et al, 2019).
3) Enhanced Concentration and Cognitive Function:
Time spent in nature has been shown to improve attention and concentration. This can be particularly beneficial for those of us experiencing mental fatigue or who have been so “on” that we begin struggling to sustain focus. As we dig more into the research on how natural environments affect adults, the results are consistently positive.
That study from Palo Alto above? They also found cognitive benefits in the form of increased working memory performance.
A growing number of studies have found that exposure to natural environments compared with urban environments is associated with improved attention, executive function, and perceived restorativeness for adults and children (Ohly et al, 2016; Berto, 2014; Berman, 2008; Bourrier, Berman, & Enns, 2018; Pasanen, Johnson, Lee, & Korpela , 2018; Stenfors et al, 2019; Stevenson, Dewhurst, Schilhab, & Bentsen, 2019; Weber & Trojan, 2018; Amicone et al 2018; Stevenson, Schilhab, & Bentsen, 2018).
4) Boosted Immune System:
Some studies suggest that spending time in nature may have positive effects on the immune system. While the mechanisms are not fully understood, exposure to natural environments might contribute to better immune function. In Japan, forest bathing (a Japanese practice known as shinrin yoku consists of being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you whilst breathing deeply) has been positively associated with human immune function.
A study was conducted in which subjects experienced a 3-day/2-night bathing trip to forest areas, and blood and urine were sampled on days 2 and 3 of the trip. On days 7 and 30 after the trip, the mean values of natural killer (NK) cells (which play a major role in the immune system) and NK activity were higher on forest bathing days compared with control days. This effect persisted for 30 days after the trip (Wen, Yan, Pan, Gu, & Liu, 2019).
A possible cause for improved immune function is exposure to phytoncides (a substance emitted by plants and trees to protect themselves from harmful insects and germs), which could decrease stress hormones in the human body and increase NK cell activity. Additionally, the findings indicated that a day trip to a forest park also increased the levels of intracellular anti-cancer proteins (Li et al, 2007).
5) Lowered Blood Pressure:
Spending time in green or natural environments has been linked to lower blood pressure. In fact, research from 52 studies in Japan on the physiological effects of nature therapy and found overwhelming evidence that blood pressure levels decreased when participants were exposed to a natural environment.
Decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were observed across young healthy populations, as well as populations with hypertension. This suggests that forest walking may lead to a state of physiological relaxation (Song, Ikei, & Miyazaki, 2016)
A separate systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by Ideno et al to synthesize the effects of forest bathing on blood pressure, considered 20 trials involving 732 participants including high-school and college-aged youth. The authors found that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure taken in the forest environment were significantly lower than in non-forest environments (Ideno et al, 2017).
Don’t let this list lead you to believe the benefits can be reduced to bullet points. Often, it’s the combination of physical activity, exposure to nature, and sometimes even social interactions along the walk.
However, lists like this one can be helpful to us as we consider the importance of preserving and/or incorporating green spaces into urban planning and promoting outdoor activities for overall well-being.
As a play ambassador for the US Play Coalition, I’m passionate about sharing the power of play for wellness and overall happy lives. As you continue to seek answers to your own questions on play, you might be interested in the following articles:
From ho hum to extraordinary: How I navigated some big life changes in 7 steps (and LOVE my outcome)
The five qualities of playful intelligence: How I found what my life was missing
Mirror Neurons and the Power of Your Inner Circle: 5 Reasons Why Your Closest Connections Matter
