Nature: Is it a modern medicine?

Have you been feeling blue lately? A new research suggests that you should probably go out a little more! Scientists from the University of York say that the contact with nature can do “miracles” for your mental health. An activity in nature is almost anything that takes you out of the house and straight to the environment where there is green and wild life. Some examples include gardening, walking or jogging and forest bathing which simply means going to a forest and taking time to enjoy the scenery. According to the study, those activities in nature that last about 20 to 90 minutes and are done regularly for eight to 12 weeks have the greatest impact on improving your mood, reducing stress and increase your positivity.

The research

The research team analyzed 50 previous related studies involving 14,321 records focusing on nature-related interventions. “We have known for a long time that contact with nature is good for health and well-being, but our study reinforces the evidence that activities in nature are associated with great mental health benefits,” said study lead author Dr. Peter Coventry, from the Department of Health Sciences. He added that these activities are effective when done alone but they have greater benefits for mental health if they are done in groups.

Contact with nature with a presciption?

In 2017 the pediatrician dr. Robert Zarr founded the non-profit organization ”Park Rx America” in 2017 with the aim of encouraging health professionals to integrate contact with nature into their therapeutic approaches. He e regularly prescribes nature trips to his patients. The website provides the user with a general prescription, but the prescriptions can suit each individual too. Dr. Zarr and his colleagues prefer to ask patients their preferences before prescribing. A person can simply start by taking a break by eating outdoors and then with a change in the prescription they can include other outdoor activities. Sources: studyfinds.org, ygeiamou.gr Recent Articles