Dear COE community,
Isn’t nature glorious right now? In the glowing sunlit green of summer, we can feel the benefits of the natural world around us. So, what are these benefits? “Psychological research is advancing our understanding of how time in nature can improve our mental health and sharpen our cognition, “ writes Kristin Weir in a recent American Psychology Monitor blog. Dr. Meir makes the following key points from recent research to support her passion for nature as a source of healing and well-being:
Key points
- Spending time in nature is linked to both cognitive benefits and improvements in mood, mental health and emotional well-being.
- Feeling connected to nature can produce similar benefits to well-being, regardless of how much time one spends outdoors.
- Both green spaces and blue spaces (aquatic environments) produce well-being benefits. More remote and biodiverse spaces may be particularly helpful, though even urban parks and trees can lead to positive outcomes.
- In a review of the research, Gregory Bratman, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Washington, and colleagues shared evidence that contact with nature is associated with increases in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions, and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress (Science Advances, Vol. 5, No. 7, 2019).
To read more go to:
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature
For a list of other self-care options, please go to our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
Please take time to enjoy nature this week and experience the happiness and many other benefits it will bestow upon you!
Warmly,
Shari