![]() When we are bombarded with stimuli, our brains get “fatigued” and natural elements have been found to be “particularly rich in the characteristics necessary” for our minds to relax, refocus, and be restored. Attention Restoration Therapy is the theory that exposure to natural elements helps our brains to rest from the frequent overload of stimulation in busy, non-scenic environments. Increases Memory and AttentionĪ study conducted by University of Michigan researchers found that participants who walked in nature – regardless of the outside temperature – had a 20 percent increase in memory performance and attention spans. #Nice scenery windowsThe patients who were given rooms with windows “had shorter postoperative hospital stays, received fewer negative evaluative comments in nurses’ notes, and took fewer potent analgesics,” supporting the theory that nature heals. One popular study showed that patients in a Pennsylvania hospital who underwent gallbladder surgery were assigned different types of rooms: 23 with a window view and 23 with a view of a brick wall. In fact, experts say studies done in hospitals, offices, and schools revealed that even having a simple plant in a room can help with anxiety and stress. In addition to the soothing effects of nature, physical benefits have been shown to include everything from reduced blood pressure to increased ability to sleep. From photos to potted plants to aquariums and landscape light diffusers, today’s companies recognize the value of nature in the office. It’s not surprising, then, to know that one study showed that “adequate lighting did not make up for office workers’ dissatisfaction with their windowless setting and ‘almost 50 percent thought that the lack of windows affected them or their work adversely’.” Accordingly, many of today’s companies are beginning to utilize Biophilic Design – the incorporation of nature into the workplace – to improve productivity and overall employee wellness. ![]() Increased executive attention means your mind is clearer and better able to focus on important tasks without interference from unnecessary or unrelated thoughts. ![]() Executive attention is vital to planning, decision-making, and correcting errors, among other things. Executive attention refers to a part of the brain responsible for drawing on internal information and memories to adapt our thoughts and behaviors. Research has shown that “viewing nature… pictures significantly improved executive attention in both older and young adults…”. In addition to helping reduce stress, studies have shown that participants who viewed a scenic view prior to being exposed to a stressor had enhanced recovery and were, thus, better able to handle the stressor. ![]() Using EKGs, researchers found that when the participants viewed the natural images, their stress levels lowered. Nature Decreases StressĪ study done of 46 students showed that viewing scenic greeneries increased the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. Here are some specific ways that scenic nature views help our mind and body. Experts say even viewing scenes of nature “reduces anger, fear, and stress, and increases pleasant feelings.” Specifically, nature has the power to restore, soothe, heal, and increase our feelings of connectedness. Obviously spending time outdoors has great benefits for our minds and bodies but sometimes a trek through the jungle or a trip to the beach isn’t practical. The positive effects of nature are being incorporated into learning with the utilization of outdoor classrooms which are touted as providing physical, cognitive, and psychological benefits for students. In healthcare settings, many facilities are bringing nature into their rooms because research has shown that “natural scenes are restorative, and are most liked when they have a depth perspective and an element of mystery.”Įducators are even embracing the positive impacts of students spending time outside. Studies show that there are significant long-term health benefits to being in or around nature. ![]() It’s no secret that our environments affect our well-being. ![]()
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