Green Time for Growing Minds: Nurturing Children Through Nature
In today’s fast-paced climate, it’s often easy to overlook the simple joys of spending time in nature. But did you know that nature has a profound impact on our children’s mental health?
Here, we’ll explore the research behind the protective effects of nature and provide practical tips for incorporating more green time into your child’s life.
What the Research Says
Stress Reduction
Research, such as Ulrich’s Stress Reduction Theory, highlights the benefits of nature for stress relief. Simply being surrounded by nature can activate the body's parasympathetic system, which helps calm and restore us.
For instance, a study by Brown et al. showed participants nature and urban scenes, followed by a mental stressor and concluded through heart rate and blood pressure testing that viewing greenery before encountering stress can enhance recovery by boosting parasympathetic activity, which regulates heart rate variability.
Moreover, a retrospective study with adolescent participants from Buffalo, New York from a previous neighborhood environment study, revealed that neighbourhoods with more greenspaces correlate with lower stress levels among adolescents. This shows that regular exposure to green spaces can have a soothing effect on our nervous system.
Health Improvements
Living near or spending time in green spaces has tangible health advantages. In fact, a study by Astell-Burt et al looked at participants in Australia concluded that adults residing in areas with higher green space have a lesser chance of experiencing short sleep durations, under six hours, per night.
This can be explained by research done by Burns et al., where they measured the amount of time spent in outdoor light and its effects on sleep patterns (circadian rhythm) from a UK biomedical database. This research found that participants spent a median of 2.5 hours in outdoor light during the daytime and concluded that exposure to outdoor light during the day could reduce insomnia and tiredness by aligning our circadian rhythms with natural light patterns, which is crucial for mood improvement and overall well-being (Emens et al., 2009).
Green spaces also play a crucial role in cardiovascular health. A cross-sectional study in China found that the association between greenness and CVD risk was mediated by a decrease in hypertension (4.5%), type 2 diabetes (4.1%), obesity (3.1%), hypercholesterolemia (12.7%), hypertriglyceridemia (8.7%), and low HDL (high-density lipoprotein; 11.1%). In fact, studies show that greenspaces help mitigate factors that elevate the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as air pollution, and promote physical activities that decrease cardiovascular risks like hypertension and obesity.
Cognitive and academic benefits
How does being in nature affect our mental focus? Studies and research by Hartig et al. suggest that busy urban environments require us to use a lot of mental energy to decide what's important and what isn't. This constant demand can drain our mental resources, making it difficult to concentrate on tasks that require sustained attention. In contrast, natural settings can rejuvenate our minds, enhancing our ability to focus when necessary.
As a result, some studies find that even “20 minutes at a time is ideal for reducing stress hormones (i.e., cortisol) in the body” (Hunter et al., 2019), boost attention (Yaipimol et al., 2022), and improve mood (Neill et al., 2019).
The science is clear: regular interactions with nature can benefit us physically, mentally, and academically, providing a holistic boost to our well-being and cognitive functions.
Best Practices for Families
Here are some considerations to incorporate more green time into your child’s daily routine:
1. Mealtime Outdoors
When the weather is nice, turn a daily routine, like eating, into an outdoor activity. Have breakfast on the balcony, lunch in the park, or dinner in your backyard.
2. After-School Wind Down
Before homework or evening activities, set aside 30 minutes for your child to play outside. This can help them reset and reduce school-related stress.
3. Gardening Together
Engage your child in gardening activities, even if it's just potting plants or maintaining a small herb garden on a windowsill.
4. Indoor Plants and Nature Decor
Increase indoor exposure to nature by decorating your home with plants, nature prints, and using natural materials.
Take a look at some outdoor play ideas for different age groups:
Takeaways
Incorporating these practical tips into your daily routine doesn't just offer immediate benefits; it establishes lifelong habits that can lead to sustained mental and physical health. By fostering a connection with nature, we can help our children grow into happy, healthy adults.
