Mental Health and the Role of Nature

I recently became aware of the program, Mood Walks for Campus Mental Health. This is a province -wide initiative that supports students to take hikes, visit parks and greenhouses, in an effort to promote physical and mental health.

The research is robust on the benefits of nature and spending in time in green space. So important, in fact, that the need for spending time in green space has been referred to as Vitamin G. For close to a decade now primary care doctors and other mental health professionals have been ‘prescribing’ nature walks for managing stress and increasing overall levels of well-being. Research shows that walking in peaceful, natural settings decreases the stress hormone cortisol, blood pressure, muscle tension and heart rate. It seems to improve immune function, promote faster healing and also has a positive effect on mood, attention span and self-discipline. According to a study at the University of Michigan, spending 20-30 minutes a day in nature is ideal in order to reap the full benefits.

The benefits are even more profound when people experience the emotion of awe while in nature. Awe is a feeling of wonder that one experiences when looking at nature scenes or vistas. Research has found that these experiences decrease impatience and increases a willingness to volunteer.

Perhaps organizations will be soon to follow with mood walks for everyday well-being.

For more information on the Mood Walks program, visit https://moodwalks.ca/.