Article No.1 in simple language

Health and nature experiences:
How nature affects our health
Nature is good for our health.
Many studies show this.
Nature helps with many illnesses.
It can support to stay healthy.
Nature keeps the body healthy
Exercise in nature is important.
It makes us fit and strong.
We move more in nature.
This is good for the heart and muscles.
It lowers blood pressure and improves heart health.
Strengthening the immune system
Nature also strengthens our immune system.
Sunlight helps the body to produce vitamin D.
Vitamin D is important for the bones and the immune system.
There are so called terpenes in the air in the forest.
These are chemical compounds.
They are found in many plants and some insects.
Terpenes are good for your health.
They strengthen the immune cells in your body.
This strengthens the body against viruses and tumours.
Nature has an effect on mental health
Nature is good for our soul.
It helps against stress.
In nature, we hear birds,
smell flowers and feel the wind.
This calms us.
The stress hormone level drops.
When we are stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol.
It causes blood pressure and blood sugar to rise.
This is not good for the body in the long run.
This hormone is reduced in nature.
We feel less stressed.
A walk in the forest or park relaxes.
Nature makes us happy.
Promoting self-regulation
Nature supports us to regulate our feelings.
It gives us peace and quiet.
We can relax in nature.
We feel free and happy.
Nature shows us its beauty.
That makes us happy.
Experiences in nature increase concentration and creativity
Experiences in nature improve concentration and creativity.
There is a theory that explains this,
it is called the ‘Attention Restoration Theory’.
In the 1980s, scientists found that nature helps with mental exhaustion.
Nature gently guides our attention.
This is important in our digital world.
We often have new ideas outside.
Nature encourages creative thinking.
Nature promotes community
Experiences in nature also have a social function.
Shared activities such as hiking or gardening promote interaction.
Social contacts are important for mental health.
Shared experiences in nature foster positive feelings.
These feelings increase our sense of well-being.
Social encounters in nature are often more relaxed.
Nature is more than just a recreational space
Experiencing nature combines many positive influences
that are good for our health.
We experience many feelings in nature.
These feelings influence our health.
Positive feelings such as marvel and joy reduce stress.
They strengthen the immune system and promote well-being.
Peace and safety in nature help to overcome emotional problems.
Being in nature also improves
perception of one’s own body.
Experiences in nature should be consciously incorporated into everyday life.
For example, forest bathing
Forest bathing is a good example of a healthy experience in nature.
Forest bathing comes from Japan, where it is called Shinrin-Yoku.
Doctors there prescribe it.
When you go forest bathing, you walk mindfully in the forest.
You consciously breathe in the forest air.
The forest air contains chemical substances from the trees.
These substances promote good health.
They inhibit bacteria and viruses.
Forest bathing also has positive effects on mental health.
It reduces anxiety, depression and exhaustion.
Article no.1 in standard language
Health and nature experiences: How nature affects our health
Health and nature experiences: How nature affects our health
Spending time in nature has a variety of positive effects on physical and mental health. These effects have been proven by numerous scientific studies and are based on various mechanisms. Interaction with the nature around us supports health care and has a positive effect on many non-communicable diseases that arise from our modern, urban lifestyle. Even if nature cannot replace a doctor, it can support us in many ways in becoming and staying healthy.
Nature keeps the body healthy
Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, especially outdoors. Being in nature can often leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated. The natural environment increases motivation and the urge to move. Being active in nature strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves breathing capacity and muscle health. Nature experiences also lower blood pressure and are associated with better heart health.
Strengthening the immune system
But it’s not just the cardiovascular system that is strengthened by experiences in nature; the immune system also benefits from being outside. Sunlight plays an important role here, as it helps the body produce vitamin D, which is essential for building strong bones and for the immune system. Substances that are beneficial to health can also be found in the air: Forests in particular have air enriched with so-called terpenes, chemical substances that have health-promoting properties. Studies show that regular exposure to nature can increase the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, which are responsible for defending against viruses and tumours. This leads to a better immune response and lower susceptibility to disease.
Even if we are not consciously aware of it, we feel that nature is good for us. In addition to the physical activities, it is above all the emotional and sensory experiences that we have in nature that are important. These experiences have an effect on our health by relaxing the body, calming the mind and helping us to achieve a deeper emotional and physical balance.
Nature has an effect on mental health
Experiences in nature have a positive effect on our mental health and resilience to stress. In nature, our senses are engaged in a variety of ways: we hear the birds singing, smell the scent of flowers, feel the wind on our skin or feel the ground beneath our feet. These sensory impressions can create a sense of connection with the environment, which has a positive effect on our stress levels and our relaxation.
Contact with nature can demonstrably lower the level of cortisol (the stress hormone). In a natural environment, the body feels less stressed because the senses are soothed and the nervous system can relax. Even a short stay in nature, such as a walk in the forest or park, has been shown to have a calming effect.
At the same time, serotonin, the so-called happiness hormone, is released. Nature has the ability to touch us emotionally and lead us to inner clarity or serenity.
Promoting self-regulation
Nature can help regulate our emotions. When we feel inspired or soothed by natural beauty or tranquility, it stabilises and calms us, restoring our emotional balance. Feeling joy or fulfilment in nature is a form of emotional self-care that has a positive impact on health.
In nature, people are often able to free themselves from daily distractions and live in the moment. The silence and rhythm of nature can bring about a feeling of relaxation and inner balance, a sense of peace and freedom. Spending time in nature can also awaken a sense of connection and belonging to nature. We marvel at the beauty of the landscape and admire the diversity of plants, mushrooms and animals – and that makes us happy.
Experiencing nature can increase concentration and creativity
Studies also confirm the positive effect of nature experiences on our ability to concentrate and on our creativity. Particularly fascinating in this context is the so-called ‘Attention Restoration Theory’: as early as the 1980s, scientists were already investigating the positive effect of spending time in nature when we are mentally exhausted. According to this theory, the natural environment gently directs our attention without overwhelming it. This is especially important in our highly digitalised world, where sensory overload is ubiquitous. When we are outside, we often have new ideas: nature stimulates creative thoughts and serves as a source of new ideas and insights.
Nature promotes community
Experiences in nature also have a social function. Joint activities such as hiking or gardening in community gardens promote exchange and a sense of belonging. Social contacts, in turn, are a crucial factor for mental health. Shared experiences in nature foster positive emotions such as togetherness and connectedness, which in turn increase psychological well-being. Social interactions in a natural environment are also often more relaxed and less stressful than in an urban environment.
Nature is more than just a recreational space
The conscious experience of nature combines several factors that positively influence health at all levels. In nature, you can experience a variety of feelings that depend on personal perception and the environment. Emotions play a central role in the way we experience nature and how it affects our health. It is not just about the rational mind, but also about emotional and sensory experiences that have a profound effect on us.
What we feel in nature, be it marvel, joy or even sadness, has a direct impact on our emotional well-being. Positive feelings such as marvel, gratitude and joy can reduce stress, strengthen the immune system and promote general well-being. Feeling calm and secure in natural surroundings can help to release emotional blockages and lead to better mental health. But spending time in nature also promotes awareness of one’s own body.
Whether it’s reducing stress, increasing resilience or improving cognitive abilities, all of this shows the necessity of consciously integrating experiences in nature into our daily lives.
For example, forest bathing
So-called forest bathing is a wonderful example of how experiencing nature promotes health. The practice of forest bathing originated in Japan, where it is known as shinrin-yoku and is even prescribed by doctors. Forest bathing involves taking a walk in the forest, breathing in the forest air mindfully and consciously experiencing the atmosphere in the forest. The forest air contains chemical substances that are released by the leaves and needles of the trees. These substances promote the absorption of oxygen and can even be absorbed through the skin. In a mild way, they thus, seemingly unnoticed, inhibit bacteria and viruses and help to promote and maintain health. The practice of forest bathing has also been shown to have positive effects on mental health, including reducing anxiety, depression and exhaustion.
Sources and further reading:
(PDF) Health Benefits of Nature Experience: Psychological, Social and Cultural Processes
DOI:10.1007/978-90-481-9806-1_5
Kaplan, S. (1995). “The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169-182.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2
Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2015). “The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health.” Psychological Science, 26(6), 1111-1122.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06400.x
Mayer, F. S., & Frantz, C. M. (2004). The connectedness to nature scale: A measure of individuals’ feeling in community with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24(4), 503–515.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2004.10.001
Effekte von Naturtherapie und Waldbaden bei Probanden mit kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren – Naturheilkunde Berlin – Ayurveda, TCM, TEM
Green Care WALD – BFW
Cervinka, R., Höltge, J., Pirgie, L., Schwab, M., Sudkamp, J., Haluza, D., Arnberger, A., Eder, R., & Ebenberger, M. (2014). Green public health – Benefits of woodlands on human health and well-being. BFW-Berichte.
https://bfw.ac.at/cms_stamm/GreenCareWald/pdf/BFW_Bericht147_2014_GreenPublicHealth.pdf
Effects of forest environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention —the Establishment of “Forest Medicine”—
DOI: 10.1265/ehpm.22-00160
Li, Q., et al. (2008). Effect of forest bathing on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 13(1), 21–27.
DOI: 10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3