Grow for a Walk: How Being in Nature Nurtures Us
As an environmental journalist and an environmental activist, there are few things I enjoy more than immersing myself in the great outdoors. I’ve learned to find comfort in the palpable silence that engulfs me and in the solitude that fills me as I become one with nature — heightened during our forced isolation throughout the duration of the pandemic.
But beyond personal enjoyment, there are plenty of reasons for humans to spend more time outdoors. Among the many benefits: Improved mental health, increased physical wellness, and holistic community improvements.
"The physiological response to being outside in nature is real, and it's measurable," said Michelle Kondo, a research social scientist with the USDA Forest Service's Northern Research Station. "There are many physical and psychological benefits of nature that scientists have observed, which can better help us understand how nature supports wellness in the body, mind and community."
Earth’s Cure
It’s undeniable that Earth is vital to human health: it provides oxygen required to live; it nurtures plants that become life-saving medicines; and it supplies food and water for humanity.
But looking beyond the most basic facts of Earth’s benefits, can being in nature actually impact an individual’s physical health? Some researchers and naturalists say it’s possible.
For instance, a 2014 documentary by Alaskan nature filmmaker Steve Kroschel, “The Grounded,” emphasizes the healing powers of the earth and shares his own healthcare journey.
Grounding — sometimes known as “earthing” or “forest bathing” — typically means walking barefoot on gras, or as Kroschel shows in one scene of the documentary, taking a mud bath. Kroschel asserts, in the movie, that this peaceful activity can relieve a body of its illnesses.
The USDA Forest Service adds that being outside can reduce stress levels, cortisol levels, muscle tension, and heart rates. Additionally, natural outdoor spaces — especially in urban jungles — are more likely to motivate people and lead to higher levels of fitness.
“Since scientists have gained access to data sets, sometimes capturing an entire country’s population of medical records and hospital data, we are finding that patient diagnoses and chronic illness risk are often related to where an individual lives and their proximity to green spaces,” said Kondo. “And that’s a correlation that is likely to strengthen as we conduct more studies.”
It also bolsters mental health — especially as it relates to depression and anxiety — and has served as a comfort for many throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the USDA, individuals who live in greener and cleaner communities, and those that offer more natural spaces, have roughly 41% fewer residents that battle depression than urban communities; whereas, they also see an approximate 13% drop in crime rates as residents face less violent behavior, but rather, focus on optimizing meaningful relationships.
“Nature in densely populated areas also has been shown to affect how people interact with one another,” Kondo said. “We've found in neighborhoods that receive tree plantings or other greening initiatives, that people tend to have better attitudes towards their neighbors, which in turn often results in better relationships."
“Wellness is wholistic in that it is comprised of physical and mental health as well as the health of our communities. All of these benefits add up and reduce adverse impacts on our bodies, and have restorative characteristics. So get outdoors and enjoy nature’s gift of wellness,” Kondo added.