By Zikora Akanegbu
Oftentimes, I find myself wanting to spend more time in nature rather than spending my time indoors watching television or working in front of a computer screen. Although it is difficult to completely get away from technology and urban life, it is important to me that I find a healthy balance for my body and mind.
On one Saturday morning in late June, I felt that I had scrolled through the depths of social media. Continuing to scroll through my social media feed was not going to fulfill me at that moment. As much as I enjoy scrolling through the internet, there are days I am eager to engage with the physical world around me. Thus, I decided to spend my morning exploring a botanical garden. As soon as I arrived at the botanical garden, I immediately stopped to take in the aroma of jasmines as I felt the texture of flowers between my fingers while watching the clouds above me slowly move by. I felt at ease when I was surrounded by the exemplary collection of botanical features that the garden offered, which were a variety of colorful flowers, shrubs, herbs, and trees. While strolling through the garden, I noticed how the birds singing their morning song pleasantly filled my ears and I felt a cool breeze blow over me as the sweet smell of crisp morning air enveloped around me. It is these acts of connecting with nature that bring me a great amount of peace as I am provided with a beautiful and quiet getaway from my busy life.
Some people who have disabilities or health concerns may argue that nature is not equally accessible to all; however, I have found that the biophilia effect is accurate because being in touch with nature allows the cognitive development of children with ADHD to become enhanced, strengthens prosocial behaviors, and improves physical health. The connections humans have with nature is not only important, but also biologically hardwired.
The Importance of Outdoor Play for Children with ADHD
If children in elementary school and middle school in the United States were allotted more time for recess, then there would be less of a need for children who have ADHD to have to heavily rely on their ADHD medication. Furthermore, nature should be seen as medicine because the more time that children with ADHD spend outside surrounded by nature, then the more enhanced their cognitive development becomes. If elementary and middle school aged children in the United States could be allotted more time to spend outside during the school day through recess, then children with ADHD would be likely to focus and pay attention more throughout the school day without being disruptive. Arguably, it is crucial for children with ADHD to spend a frequent amount of time in nature or consequently their ADHD symptoms are likely to worsen.
The Surprising Benefits of Having Indoor Plants
Indoor plants not only add more greenery to a room, but they also allow people to connect with nature from the comfort of staying indoors. It is important to acknowledge that biophilia works in many settings, even if that is simply taking care of an indoor plant that sits on a windowsill. In a research study published by the National Library of Medicine, titled “Social Contacts as a Possible Mechanism Behind the Relation Between Green Space and Health,” approximately 10,089 residents of the Netherlands were surveyed. The research study was conducted by Jolanda Maas, Sonja Dillen, Robert Verheij, and Peter Groenewegen. The researchers meticulously calculated the percentage of green spaces for each individual’s address within one and a three kilometer radius around the postal code coordinates.
Ultimately, feelings of loneliness were associated with people who lived in less green space. That being said, the greenery of indoor plants leads the prosocial behaviors of people to become more strengthened. In addition, potted plants have the power to make people feel a stronger sense of community. When someone tends to a plant, then they are generously taking the time out of their day to take care of it. A person may take care of a plant by watering it frequently and by placing it in direct sunlight. That being said, a person who takes care of a plant is more likely to be generous to other human beings by taking time out of their day to help other people.
There are many social inequities and racial inequities prevalent in Western society. One could argue that many people are disconnected from the natural environment. Many people are facing a lot of problems in modern life, such as the following: obesity, inactivity, diabetes, depression, and more; arguably, a lot of these problems are diabetes of the indoors.
While public parks are technically open to everyone, some people may argue that barriers to the outdoors for people of color have been built into our infrastructure, such as the pushing of low income people into inner cities. However, in order to fulfill the biological need for connecting with nature, the biophilia effect can also be created indoors through the presence of an indoor plant. Although the sight of an indoor plant may seem unable to offer any significant benefits, they are able to provide people that are unable to connect with nature outside, such as people that are hospitalized long-term, a feeling of being outside. Nonetheless, people that have a health concern that requires them to stay indoors are able to experience the scents as well as sights of nature while being indoors. Ultimately, the key to the biophilia effect is to prioritize connecting with nature whenever it is possible to do so.
How The Biophilia Effect Can Improve Physical Health
The experiences and sight of nature have the power to positively impact the physical wellbeing of individuals. Dr. Roger Ulrich explored the physical benefits of nature in a 1984 case study titled, “View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery.” In the case study, patients from a suburban Pennsylvania hospital recovering from gallbladder surgery were observed between the years 1972 and 1981. Half of the patients received a view of nature in their recovery room. The other half of the patients only had a view of a brick wall. The results of the case study revealed that the view out one’s window does make a difference. The patients that had a view of nature healed faster, received more positive nurse’s notes, required significantly fewer strong pain medication, and had far shorter hospital stays (Ulrich). Ultimately, the case study allowed people to begin to understand the impact of nature. Why would the view out of one’s window make such a big difference? Dr. Roger Ulrich’s case study is evidence for the idea of biophilia. Clearly, nature can be used as a way to reduce stress and as a result increase the happiness and morale of individuals.
Researchers at Washington State University were able to support the findings from the gall bladder patient study by exploring how the exposure to plants may affect a person’s pain tolerance. The researchers at Washington State University conducted their study in a room decorated with potted plants. The control groups of the experiment either sat in an empty room, or in a room that was decorated with objects that were rated as similar in “beauty” and “interest” to the potted plants. The researchers asked the participants who were a part of the experiment to place on hand in a bowl of ice water. Then, the researchers timed how long the participants were able to leave their hands in the freezing water.
Participants who were a part of the study in the room with the potted plants were much more likely to keep their hands in the freezing water for the maximum five-minute limit than either of the two control rooms. Evidently, the exposure to plants and green spaces have the power to change the pain humans feel because it reduces the need for strong pain medications. The results of the case study conducted by the researchers at Washington State University brings up an important question: could doctors start prescribing green spaces as part of pain management strategies? Evidence suggests that being exposed to green spaces and nature can significantly suppress the feeling of physical pain.
The benefits of the biophilia effect are also increased when exercise and nature are combined. A physical benefit of green spaces is that they promote exercise. Public parks are a great outdoor space for running, yoga, outdoor sports, and dancing; the biophilia effect is present because it has the power to soothe people directly. Exercise is helpful for mental health reasons such as endorphins from good cardio, a higher self-esteem from building a daily workout routine, excitement from getting out of the house, gaining control over one’s health, and also the sense of community that arises through athletic activities. Ultimately, walking or doing any form of exercise outside in nature is beneficial because it provides people with a sense of calmness as a result of the biophilia effect.Everyone deserves access to not only a healthy body, but also a healthy mind.
Physical activity is proven to promote lung health and overall longevity, reduce health complications associated with obesity, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Simply taking a walk in nature can increase feelings of peace, gratitude, calmness, and serenity. Green spaces provide a crucial escape from the stresses of life, allowing people to be able to connect with their outdoor environment, which increases feelings of fulfillment and happiness. Simply taking a walk outdoors can lift the spirits of people, especially those who are feeling down or anxious.
Shinrin-Yoku, also known as Japanese forest bathing, means to take in the forest atmosphere. Shinrin-Yoku is often used to improve mental and physical relaxation. A case study conducted by five doctors titled, “The Physiological Effects of Shinrin-Yoku: Evidence From Field Experiments in Twenty-Four Forests Across Japan,” took place in Japanese forests. The case study included twelve male university students for each of the twenty-four experiments. The subjects were observed walking around the forests as well as urban environments. The results showed relief from stress and pain because the natural lighting of the forest landscape reduced anger. Additionally, the results of the case study found that the forest atmosphere reduced depression and the low relative humidity reduced fatigue (National Library of Medicine). Clearly, there are many restorative effects of access to green spaces in one’s daily life. Above all, the view of nature is able to significantly impact the physical wellbeing of individuals.
There are different ways that one can experience nature in the built environment; some of the ways are very direct such as seeing nature out a window or bringing plants inside a building. Nature exists on a spectrum from vast forests to public parks, botanical gardens, and even indoor plants. People who connect with nature, even if that is simply remembering to frequently water an indoor plant or placing it in direct sunlight, as a result will experience positive emotions which simultaneously increases prosocial behaviors. Biophilia truly is the human connection to nature. The biophilia effect is accurate because not only does being in touch with nature make it possible for the cognitive development of children with ADHD to become enhanced, but it also strengthens prosocial behaviors and improves physical health.
Sources:
Bum Jin Park, Yuko Tsunetsugu, Tamami Kasetani, Takahide Kagawa, and Yoshifumi Miyazaki, “The Physiological Effects of Shinrin-Yoku (Taking In The Forest Atmosphere or Forest Bathing): Evidence from Field Experiments in Twenty-Four Forests Across Japan.” National Library of Medicine, January 2010. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2793346/. Accessed 27 July 2023.
Lohr, Virginia, “What Are the Benefits of Plants Indoors and Why Do We Respond Positively to Them?,” Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Washington State University, 2010. https://public.wsu.edu/~lohr/pub/2010LohrBenefitsPltsIndoors.pdf. Accessed 27 July 2023.
“Social Contacts as a Possible Mechanism Behind the Relation Between Green Space and Health,” Health and Place, vol. 15, no. 2 (2009): pp. 586–595.
Ulrich, Roger. “View Through A Window May Influence Recovery From Surgery.” National Library of Medicine, May 1984. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6143402/. Accessed 26 July 2023.
Williams, Florence. The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative. W. W. Norton, 2017.
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