Next time someone tells you to go take a hike you may want to interpret it as a recommendation, or at very least a concern for your mental well-being. In 2015 Stanford researchers found quantifiable evidence that taking a walk in nature vs. in a busy urban area significantly improved moods and lowered stress.
A study published in Proceedings for the National Academy of Science found that people who walked for 90 minutes surrounded by nature vs. in a busy urban setting had less brain activity in an area of the brain associated with depression.
In fact, there is a growing field in science called “ecotherapy.” Cambridge Health Alliance’s Dr. Jason Strauss, director of Geriatric Psychiatry, observes, regarding aging men who experience mood disorders, “They may not want to turn to medication or therapy for help, and for many, interacting with nature is one of the best self-improvement tools they can use.” Time spent in natural settings can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and Dr. Strauss prescribed 20 to 30 minutes three days a week, or regular three-day weekends in the woods, to obtain these results (Harvard Medical School, Health Publishing 2018).
According to the Harvard journal, a 2014 study found that either walking with a group or solo was equally effective in “lowering depression and stress and improving overall mental outlook.” Other studies indicated that exposure to green spaces reduced salivary cortisol—a biological marker in reaction to stress. There is a large body of empirical research showing that the great outdoors is really good for you!
I’m not suggesting that those with clinical depression ignore professional help, but rather that a regular walk in the woods can be a significant mood-lifter for all of us.
Unfortunately, this is not easy for many people. Beginning in 2008, for the first time in human history more people live in urban settings than in rural areas. Well-designed cities need to have green space. Here in South Jersey we ought to be jumping for joy because of our abundance of outdoor opportunities, but we are too often overly connected to our devices instead of being aware of the world around us.
Older folks are not the only ones suffering from excessive time indoors or on concrete outside; children are disconnected from nature, too. Prior to becoming plugged in, many of us recall a childhood with nature playing a prominent role. Even at age six, after school I played in the woods a block or two from home, until my mother rang a bell signaling that I needed to head home for supper. Today I don’t think children even know what a dinner bell is. Many parents simply peel their children off an LCD screen at suppertime, if they even eat together at all.
In his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv contends that the current generation of children will be the first to have shorter lifespans than their parents. He argues that children who don’t spend enough time in nature are more prone to anxiety, depression, and attention deficit problems. They spend copious amounts of time using electronic communications and are far more sedentary. He has even called this condition “nature-deficit disorder.”
CU Maurice River teacher points out a praying mantis egg case to fourth graders, explaining the difference between native egg sacs and exotic invasive mantid nests.
And parents are frightened of allowing their children to be unattended. I get that—guilty as charged. However, these fears are misplaced; in 2012 the Christian Science Monitor reported, “The last time the crime rate for serious crime—murder, rape, robbery, assault—fell to these levels, gasoline cost 29 cents a gallon and the average income for a working American was $5,807.”
I’m not sure of current statistics, nor am I a proponent of dropping your child off at the park alone. I’m not that naïve; there are clearly areas that have clusters of criminal activity in our region. But children need to learn some independence; they need to have some self-exploration time. So parents should go outside, too, and keep an eye on their kids at distances suitable to their personality and age, so that they can experience what their world is like. And parents need to explore with them. In 2016 Louv proposed a solution of sorts in “Vitamin N,” a prescription for reconnecting adults and children with the natural world. His book contains 500 activities to do just that.
Recently, CU Maurice River and the Bayshore Center in Bivalve offered many local fourth graders a dose of “Vitamin N.” We took about 400 students into the great out-of-doors. They were supervised by skilled adults, and for many it was their first time in the woods! We have been doing this since 2006 and many students tell us, “This is my best day ever!”
Spring has just begun and my suggestion is “Go take a hike… in the woods.” You’ll be happy you did.
Check out CU-led hikes and other outdoor activities on the calendar of events at cumauriceriver.org.
