Nature Can Improve Mental Health During the Pandemic, Study Finds

By Joni Sweet  Fact checked by  Sean Blackburn    November 23, 2020

Key Takeaways

  • A survey of 3,000 Tokyo residents found that spending time in nature improved participants’ emotional wellbeing during the pandemic.

  • Even people who simply looked at a green spaces from a window experienced psychological benefits, according to the study.

  • Finding ways to enjoy nature consistently and mindfully could offer relief from stress and anxiety, experts say.

Social distancing and staying at home for months on end can take a toll on your mental health. Eager to help people find relief, scientists may have stumbled upon an accessible, free way to potentially feel better: spending time in nature.

A team of researchers from Japan surveyed thousands of people in the world’s largest megacity, Tokyo, to learn how exposure to nature was impacting people’s wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that people who spent time outdoors had more positive mental health outcomes in five key areas compared with participants who didn’t have as much access to nature.

What’s more, the study also showed that people who simply looked at green spaces from a window experienced similar benefits.1

Here’s what researchers have learned about the relationship between the outdoors and mental health, along with guidance on how to find the perfect “dose” of nature therapy for you.

Nature Therapy During the Pandemic

In a study published on Nov. 17 by Ecological Applications, the journal from the Ecological Society of America, researchers conducted an online survey of 3,000 people (half women and half men) in Tokyo in early June 2020. Participants were asked to rate five areas of their mental wellbeing, including their anxiety and depression, loneliness, subjective happiness, life satisfaction, and self-esteem, through a series of questions.

Respondents were also asked how many days per month they spent in nature, how much time they usually spent outdoors, and whether they had views of green spaces from the window of the room they spent the most time in at home.

Having any connection to nature, even if it’s just looking out a window and seeing what’s happening out there, can buffer you against the effects of stress for that moment.

— MAYRA MENDEZ, PHD, LMFT

After adjusting for socioeconomic and lifestyle variables, the researchers found that people who had more exposure to nature had higher levels of self-esteem, happiness, and life satisfaction than participants with less access to the outdoors. The findings also showed reduced levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness among people who accessed green spaces frequently.

 

Continue Reading:  https://www.verywellmind.com/nature-can-boost-mental-health-during-the-pandemic-study-finds-5088601?utm_campaign=list_stress&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cn_nl&utm_content=22222398&utm_term=

Article Submitted by Pat France MSRN Member