Forest bathing is based on a Japanese practice called shinrin-yoku developed in 1982 by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Shinrin-yoku which translates to forest well or forest bathing in English is defined as making contact with and taking in the atmosphere of the forest. This is something you can do on your own, but the practice of forest therapy uses trained guides who set the pace and help you mindfully experience the forest using all of your senses.
Scientists find evidence that spending time in nature increases cognitive performance
By Christian Rigg
For most of the developed world, more and more of our time is spent indoors than ever before, despite the fact that natural environments have been shown to improve quality of life and general health. Natural environments are also known to interact positively with cognitive function, although our understanding of this relationship is still imperfect. By comparing and contrasting 13 studies, a team of researchers has hoped to shed light on this complex interaction in research published in Frontiers in Psychology.
One of the ways by which nature may improve cognitive function, i.e. the acquisition and goal-oriented use of knowledge, is by improving memory formation and recall—specifically that of short-term, or working memory—and goal-oriented or directed attention—the kind that requires focused effort.
The studies selected for review made use of the Backwards Digit Span (BDS) task, which requires participants to inverse a series of numbers and repeat them back to the interviewer. For example, “3-5-2-4-8-7-1” is returned as “1-7-8-4-2-5-3.” The test is cognitively taxing, as subjects must store the initial series in working memory while performing the inversion operation.
The results of the study help clarify some of the ways natural environments benefit the brain and mind. Firstly, all studies demonstrated significantly improved cognition in nature as compared to urban environments, as determined by the BDS test. Furthermore, by examining how first and secondary testing differed in environments, it was shown that urban environments may actually affect cognitive decline, in much the same way nature affects improved cognition. Finally, the metastudy found that, while natural environments tended to improve affect (mood), this didn’t account for the increase in performance, which means that nature interacts with the brain through various, independent pathways, some emotional, others cognitive.
While modest, these results have far-reaching implications for understanding interactions between the brain and different environments. The authors evoke the theory that natural environments contain “softly fascinating” stimuli that prime the brain for directed attention without bombarding it with distractions as do urban environments. This may help account for the fact that greater “naturalness” (e.g. a large nature preserve vs. a small park) results in greater cognitive improvements.
The benefits of studies like this are two-fold, being both epistemological and psychological: not only are we learning more about how the brain interacts with its environment, but also how to leverage this interaction to lead healthier, more productive, and happier lives.
The study, “Positive Effects of Nature on Cognitive Performance Across Multiple Experiments: Test Order but Not Affect Modulates the Cognitive Effects“, was authored by Cecilia U. D. Stenfors, Stephen C. Van Hedger, Kathryn E. Schertz, Francisco A. C. Meyer, Karen E. L. Smith, Greg J. Norman, Stefan C. Bourrier, James T. Enns, Omid Kardan, John Jonides, and Marc G. Berman.
Original Article: https://www.psypost.org/2020/04/scientists-find-evidence-that-spending-time-in-nature-increases-cognitive-performance-56342
Reconnecting with nature key for the health of people and the planet
Original Article by Alan Williams
https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/reconnecting-with-nature-key-for-the-health-of-people-and-the-planet
Individuals who visit natural spaces weekly, and feel psychologically connected to them, report better physical and mental wellbeing, new research has shown.
Alongside the benefits to public health, those who make weekly nature visits, or feel connected to nature, are also more likely to behave in ways which promote environmental health, such as recycling and conservation activities.
The findings of the study, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, indicate that reconnecting with nature could be key to achieving synergistic improvements to human and planetary health.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Plymouth, Natural England, the University of Exeter and University of Derby, and is the first to investigate – within a single study – the contribution of both nature contact and connection to human health, wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviours.
The findings are based on responses to the Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) survey, commissioned by Natural England as part of DEFRA’s social science research programme. The team looked at people’s engagement with nature through access to greenspace, nature visits and the extent to which they felt psychologically connected to the natural world.
Lead author Leanne Martin, of the University of Plymouth, said:
“In the context of increasing urbanisation, it is important to understand how engagement with our planet’s natural resources relate to human health and behaviour. Our results suggest that physically and psychologically reconnecting with nature can be beneficial for human health and wellbeing, and at the same time encourages individuals to act in ways which protect the health of the planet.”
Marian Spain, Chief Executive of Natural England added:
“It’s a top priority for Natural England to unlock the potential of the natural environment to help address the challenges we are facing as a society: poor physical health and mental wellbeing; the climate change crisis and the devastating loss of wildlife.
“These findings give vital new insights of the need to not just increase contact with nature, but about the sorts of experience that really help people build an emotional connection, which is key to unlocking health benefits as well as inspiring people to taking action to help their environment. We look forward to using the research as we work with our many partners to support more people from all walks of life to benefit from thriving nature.”
Northcott Nature Connection 