Earth Day Special: The Compelling Effects of Nature on our Health
In honor of Earth day this week, I decided to compile a short list of studies that support the biophilic hypothesis: that humans are healthier, happier, and more productive when connected to the natural environment. Enjoy!
Physical Health
Patients recovering from gallbladder surgery who had a view of trees and shrubs from their bed as opposed to a brick wall (controlling for demographics and paint color of the hospital room) recovered 1 day earlier, had fewer nursing calls, and took fewer painkillers. (1)
Cardiac patients in Sweden were shown either images of nature or blank sheets of paper, before or after heart surgery. Patients who viewed the nature images either pre- or post-surgery had lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, and improved recovery times than patients who viewed the blank sheets of paper. (2)
Access to daylight and nature views is correlated with a reduced number of sick days in the workplace. (3)
Mental Health
A study of 2,593 children in Grades 2-4 in Spain’s Barcelona found that, separate from demographics, children in schools with more tree canopy in the schoolyard had an increased rate of cognitive development over the course of a year of measurement. (4)
Doubling the normal rate of air ventilation in an office building was associated with a sharp spike in occupants’ cognitive performance. (5)
Natural views restore our attention and ability to concentrate by promoting ‘effortless focus’ - natural environments engage our curiosity and attention without willful determination on our part. (6)
Emotional Health
An image of nature displayed on a flat screen tv lowered blood pressure and heart rate as compared to a blank wall with curtains, but not as much as a view of real nature from a window. (7)
The use of nature-inspired shapes and design (such as curved lines or fractals (repeating shapes of different sizes like leaves on a tree)) are consistently rated as beautiful, approachable, and pleasing. (8)
After spending time in a forest environment, participants exhibited significantly lower anxiety levels and improved their self-reported mood. (9)
Social Health
Apartment buildings with the same building design in the same neighborhood but with greenspace as opposed to concrete courtyards experienced reduced crime rates (both property and violent). (Environment and Crime in the Inner City: 10)
Spaces with trees in Chicago public housing developments attracted larger groups of people, as well as more mixed groups of youth and adults, than did spaces devoid of nature. The natural landscape increased opportunities for social interactions, monitoring of outdoor areas, and supervision of children in impoverished urban neighborhoods. (Where Does Community Grow?: 11)
Trees and maintained grass increased study participant’s sense of safety and community in inner-city neighborhoods, and they more effectively built and maintained social ties with their neighbors. (Transforming Inner-City Landscapes, and Fertile Ground for Community: Inner-City Neighborhood Common Spaces: 12)
