We’re hearing a lot about nature being ‘good for mental health’ amid concerns about folk ignoring social-distancing advice (or that advice not being strong enough). I’ve researched the science behind this relationship for some years & here’s a few things I’ve learned. (1/18)

When CMO Chris Whitty says “being outside in the park is a very good thing to do”, he is basing that on now many hundreds of scientific studies and quantitative research across continents that show the profoundly positive consequence of exposure to green space. (2/18)

Sumerian myth, early Sanskrit literature, Virgil’s Eclogues, F. Nightingale’s diary: the link between good health & a healthy and beautiful natural environment is entrenched in our long history. Many of us feel it intuitively. Now modern science is starting to explain why:(3/18)

Contact with a microorganism found in soil - M. Vaccae - can impact the brain to increase stress resilience. Dr Chris Lowry studied its effects on inappropriate inflammation within cells and found evidence of suppression, preventing negative outcomes of stress/PTSD. (4/18)

Our microbiota are healthiest when they are diverse - and that’s influenced positively by an environment filled with organisms, found more abundantly outside. (5/18)

Experiencing awe in nature is no small thing. Prof. Jennifer Stellar found that awe was the only positive emotion that predicted reduced levels of cytokines (an inflammation biomarker). Studies also suggest it can make people kinder and more generous. (6/18)

An Edinburgh study led by Sara Tilley on brain activity of people walking between a street and a park found that green space had a buffering effect on the stress of the urban area. Another study on neural activity suggests walking in nature reduces rumination and brooding.(7/18)

When we walk in the woods or spend time in a garden or park, our parasympathetic nervous system is more likely to be activated (the ‘rest and digest’ processes associated with feelings of contentment and safety).(8/18)

After exposure to nature, our stress recovery response is faster & more complete when compared with exposure to built environments. Nature sounds are associated with stress recovery. Even people under anaesthetic produce few chemical stress biomarkers when played birdsong.(9/18)

Many benefits of nature connection enhance immune function, from relaxing the nervous system to the reduction of worry to the presence of phytoncides (the chemicals emitted by trees and plants). Very important right now. (10/18)

Dr Qing Li’s forest medicine research is compelling. “If you want to decrease your stress, you have to go to the forest.” says Li. (11/18)

Obviously few of us have access to forests and many of us live in towns without gardens. Some (many) people wouldn’t even go to nature for their restoration. BUT, the research shows that “background nature” has profound health consequences for all.(12/18)

Self-isolating? Digital nature has a positive effect on mood. Nalini Nadkarni’s research in Snake River prison suggests that watching nature scenes made inmates calmer & less irritable. Just looking at a picture of nature can give stress-reduction & well-being benefits. (13/18)

If you have a window to look out of, it may be better. Peter H. Kahn Jr. compared a ‘technological nature window’ with an actual window view, and the latter won out. (14/18)

There’s loads more in my book Losing Eden: Vitamin D deficiency, myopia, fractals and the brain, petrichor, circadian rhythms, negative ions, importance of biodiversity... (15/18) https://bit.ly/2Jb6ZmA 

If social-distancing fails, lockdown will & should happen ASAP. But it will have health consequences. As Sarah, a horticultural therapist in a NHS secure unit told me, “If people are in secure environments without access to nature they become even more unwell." (16/18)

Nature is not a luxury: if we don’t follow advice or the advice is not made clearer, the people who will suffer the most are those vulnerable groups already suffering from inequality of access to nature and those without any outside space. (17/18)

If you're outside, be at least two metres from another person. Anything else is dangerous. (If you can't do that, stay home.) Stay very local, no Snowdon unless you live there FFS, gardens, house plants, digital nature, window sill seeds. (18/18)