The Ecological Perspective Essay: How Nature Shapes Mental Health and Well-Being

The environment significantly impacts people’s quality of life, and researchers across fields are gradually piecing together a more practical picture of the relationship between the environment and human flourishing (Bratman et al., 2019). “Ecosystem services” describe how natural systems (organisms, ecosystems, and their processes) improve human well-being. Everyone in this day and age is always surrounded by technology, and they continually rush to finish the next assignment. People do not try to stop what they’re doing, go to a park, and sit there for ten or twenty minutes to appreciate the scenery and take it all in. Instead, we spend our days cooped up in cramped workplaces and living rooms, putting in a full day’s worth of work or watching television. We need to spend time in nature regularly to keep our mental health in good shape since spending time in nature lowers anxiety, boosts general morale, and may even impact the pace at which we recover from ailments. Nature experience refers to the wide range of sensory cues through which people perceive or interact with impulses from the natural environment, from indoor plants and backyard gardens to parks and forests, the seasons, and the sun’s path. These encounters may take place in “actual” environments via window views, visualizations (such as images of landscapes), or simulations (e.g., virtual reality). They may be planned or unplanned, influenced by individual experiences and cultural contexts, and occur in various situations such as park visits and passive viewing. Time spent in a natural setting where an individual can learn about the environment and ecosystem health and enjoy nature allows for a human connection to nature that can positively impact a person’s mental health and well-being.

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Exposing one’s body to natural elements regularly, also known as ecotherapy, is essential for optimal health. The more time we spend in natural settings, the more advantages we will experience. Reductions in rumination and anxiety, both of which have been connected to poor mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety, have been associated with time spent in natural surroundings (Jimenez et al., 2021). The term “nature-based health interventions” (NBI) refers to programs that aim to enhance people’s physical and mental health by having them participate in outdoor activities. Overall, having a closer relationship with nature is associated with enhanced well-being and functioning across the lifespan (Scott & Koger, 2015). In one of his reports, Martin Jordan discusses an intriguing incident where he describes how certain patients at a mental health facility were made to live outdoors in a tent for a period before being allowed to return inside the building. Most of them relapsed into their chronic condition after leaving outdoor life, even though they had improved. It is an excellent illustration of how being outside may positively affect a person’s mental and physical health.

The prevalence of mental problems in urban areas is 38% higher than in rural areas (Peen et al., 2010). The incidence of depression (and other mood disorders) has increased by 39%, anxiety disorders by 21%, and schizophrenia by 100%. Although the exact cause-and-effect relationship between urban stress and this rise in incidence is unknown, there is undoubtedly a link. The proximity to recreational places favors well-being, and people who grow up in a rural environment are less stressed than those who do in an urban setting (Lauwers et al., 2021). Some research suggests that looking out into a natural scene from one’s home or workplace window might improve one’s focus, memory, and overall well-being. Research on the mental health advantages of nature revealed that those who walked through natural settings scored higher on memory tests than those who strolled through city areas (Berman et al., 2008). However, in the present age, it is hard for psychologists or other known researchers to rely on humans, like college students, to conduct environmental studies and form valid conclusions. It is because humans have grown more isolated from the environment (Atran et al., 2004). The previous benefits humans derived from nature cannot still be considered valid in modern times. Due to people’s increasing isolation from the environment, the way forward is to rally people towards preserving nature so that people can benefit from its natural properties.

It has been hypothesized for a long time that exposure to nature directly impacts one’s physical and mental health (Bratman et al., 2019). As an illustration, many medical facilities include a garden on the premises or make an effort to ensure a sufficient amount of vegetation visible from every window. It is a result that even the sight and scent of natural settings have been related to increased rates of recovery and healing. This is primarily attributable to plants releasing an organic substance known as phytoncide into the environment. Phytoncides have been shown to lower blood pressure, modify autonomic activity, and improve immunological functioning, amongst other impacts. The general air quality is higher near natural settings, which contributes to improvements in both physical and mental health. There is a correlation between the cleaner and less polluted air that plants and a reduction in both violent acts and inflammatory responses filter. Exposure to natural surroundings, as opposed to urban ones, has been linked to focus better, executive function, and felt restorativeness in a growing body of research (Jimenez et al., 2021). Even after brief exposure to nature, these studies have identified statistically relevant links with beneficial cognitive results. Scott & Koger (2021) state, ‘Ultimately, a complex system survives to the degree that it serves its component parts – all of its component’s parts … Thus, we ignore the state of ecosystems and our role in their healthy functioning at our own peril’. Human beings at a developmental stage in their life must connect to their natural environment because ecosystem services are vital to our way of being.

Whether in a high- or low-stress setting, our bodies will respond to stress in a certain way. An individual’s mental state and the functioning of their neurological, immune and endocrine systems are all influenced by what they take in at any given moment. Feelings of anxiety, sadness, or helplessness are common responses to the stress of living in a hostile environment. As a result, the individual’s immune system is compromised, and they experience increased blood pressure, heart rate, and muscular tension. A pleasant setting has the opposite effect. People of all ages and backgrounds appreciate natural beauty. According to Curtin’s research, more than two-thirds of adults prefer to unwind in a natural environment (2017).

Research on particular psychological disorders, including anxiety, depression, and mood disorder, has shown that contact with nature may have a beneficial impact. Easy access to natural environments has been linked to various health benefits, including better sleep, less stress, more pleasant emotions, more fulfilling relationships, and a more profound sense of purpose in life. Sunsets, beaches, clouds, and woods can all reclaim the vitality our destructive emotions have sapped from us. All it takes is an interaction with these elements of nature. Being exposed to green spaces improves cognitive abilities in all mood states. One’s mental and emotional well-being, in addition to their physical health, benefits from time spent outside. Many effects on the body include a decrease in stress hormone production, heart rate, and muscle tension. Some research suggests it might even help people live longer.

Oxygen is essential for all living things. Besides being cleaner, outdoor air often contains more oxygen than the air inside a building. If one lacks sufficient oxygen, their body can’t function properly. Oxygen is essential for various bodily processes, from brain function to energy levels to the immune system to digestion and beyond. The body will operate more optimally if breathing cleaner air with more oxygen. It may also help one breathe better. As a result of being confined to a seated position, our breathing becomes shallow, and we only take in the air via the upper layers of our lungs. When we’re up and about in the fresh air, we can expand our diaphragms and take in more oxygen. Breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, may help relieve tension and anxiety, and the outdoors is frequently the most excellent location to try them out.

Being closer to nature has several benefits, including lowering stress and anxiety and boosting confidence. It has been shown that spending time outdoors may help alleviate feelings of isolation. It is in stark contrast to how we react in congested urban areas, when we may experience increased feelings of isolation, as shown by the available evidence. If one happens to be a city dweller, it may be essential for their mental health to take occasional trips to the park or the countryside. Those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a kind of sadness more common in the winter, may relieve their symptoms by spending more time outside. Being outside, in nature, and exposed to more natural light may boost your mood and general well-being.

Furthermore, being outside in nature may aid in the reduction of discomfort experienced. We are hardwired to find sceneries of nature fascinating, and this makes it easy for us to forget about our aches and pains when we encounter them. A famous study of patients undergoing gallbladder surgery demonstrates this point brilliantly: half of the patients were given a view of trees, while the other half were given a view of a wall. Patients who had a view of trees reported less discomfort, had fewer adverse effects and were discharged sooner from the hospital (Benfield et al., 2015). Recent research using natural sceneries and plants in hospitals has shown the same positive effects.

The New York Academy of Sciences studied how the natural world influences cognitive brain functions (Gled, 2004). It was intriguing to see that even just ten minutes in nature benefited individuals’ health and mental performance. Ten minutes out of everyone’s day might significantly impact individuals’ anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Exposure to nature has enormous benefits for individuals psychologically and physiologically, while prolonged separation from nature has the opposite impact. A lack of sleep is detrimental to both physical and mental health, and studies have shown that staring at a computer for too long before bed may make it far more difficult to fall asleep. The hues might influence our moods and the levels of stress we take in. For instance, blue skies and rushing water have been shown to reduce anxiety and heart rates, whereas a monotonous landscape of gray concrete structures might have the opposite effect, leading to feelings of depression.

Conclusion

Various studies have been conducted on nature and its connection to humans and their mental health. The common theme between all the previous and current studies is that the natural environment possesses healing or calming properties that improve an individual’s mental health and well-being. Not only can looking at nature positively affect your mental and physical health, but so does hearing, smelling, and even being a part of nature itself. These experiences all have their own unique set of advantages. The inability to interact with nature may significantly impact a person’s physical and mental health, causing anything from disturbed sleep to feelings of sadness. Even just ten minutes spent outside daily may significantly influence your day’s overall quality and how your mind works. Spending even a tiny bit of time in nature is highly beneficial for all the reasons listed above. Being outside and taking in nature with all of our senses may help us focus on the here and now, build our emotional fortitude, and give us more energy to deal with stress. Feelings of worry, mood swings, and mental roadblocks gradually fade, and a newfound vitality and vigor emerge.

References

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Benfield, J. A., Rainbolt, G. N., Bell, P. A., & Donovan, G. H. (2015). Classrooms with nature views: Evidence of differing student perceptions and behaviors. Environment and Behavior, 47(2), 140-157.

Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological science, 19(12), 1207-1212.

Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., de Vries, S., Flanders, J., Folke, C., Frumkin, H., Gross, J. J., Hartig, T., Kahn, P. H., Kuo, M., Lawler, J. J., Levin, P. S., Lindahl, T., Meyer-Lindenberg, A., Mitchell, R., Ouyang, Z., Roe, J., & Scarlett, L. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 5(7). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax0903

Curtin, M. (2017). Neuroscience says listening to this song reduces anxiety by up to 65 percent.

Giedd, J. N. (2004). Structural magnetic resonance imaging of the adolescent brain. Annals of the new York Academy of Sciences, 1021(1), 77-85.

Jimenez, M. P., DeVille, N. V., Elliott, E. G., Schiff, J. E., Wilt, G. E., Hart, J. E., & James, P. (2021). Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4790. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094790

Lauwers, L., Leone, M., Guyot, M., Pelgrims, I., Remmen, R., Van den Broeck, K., … & Bastiaens, H. (2021). Exploring how the urban neighborhood environment influences mental well-being using walking interviews. Health & Place, 67, 102497.

Peen, J., Schoevers, R. A., Beekman, A. T., & Dekker, J. (2010). The current status of urban‐rural differences in psychiatric disorders. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 121(2), 84-93.