Why is nature good for you?
At Nature Escapes we see the incredible effect that nature has on people’s physical and mental health. But what exactly is happening and why? Here we explain nature’s amazing powers.
The Japanese have long known the power of nature and the phrase Shinrin-Yoku was coined in 1982 by Tomohide Akiyama and can literally be translated as ‘Forest bathing’. Since then, many scientific studies have shown how nature effects our physical and mental state. Here are some of the proven effects.
Immune system
Being in nature has been found to boost our immune system by increasing the number of natural killer (NK) cells, these are known to fight tumours and infection.
Regulates blood pressure
Research has found that blood pressure regulates, that is that people with high blood pressure see a reduction and those with low blood pressure see a positive increase. The results are significant and impressive. High blood pressure can start to reduce after only 15 minutes in a forest. Even more impressive is that a day spent in a forest can cause a reduction in blood pressure that can last for five days.
Reduced Cortisol levels
Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal gland when we are stressed. Levels of cortisol can be measured by testing saliva which gives us a good indication of how stressed we are. Tests show that when are exposed to forests there is a significant decrease in the concentration of cortisol.
Brain function
Studies show that brain function, cognition, memory and critical thinking are all boosted by immersion in nature.
Creativity
Spending time in nature is proven to increase creative reasoning by as much as 50%
Sleep
Time spent in nature has been shown to improve your body’s ability to sleep
Overall well-being
Scientific research shows that being in nature causes:
An increased feeling of comfort
An increased feeling of calm
An increase in feeling refreshed
An improvement in emotional state
A reduction in anxiety