The goodness of Nature

Feeling stressed, anxious or depressed? Watch birds

written by Meena Azzollini https://www.wellbeing.com.au/mind-spirit/mind/feeling-stresses-anxious-depressed-watch-birds.html
 

Research shows that there is a disconnect between people and nature in urban settings, leading to anxiety, stress and mood disorders among people. Increased urbanised living and the resultant sedentary lifestyle have been contributing factors to mental health problems in countries around the world.
It makes sense then that a daily dose of nature is good for mental health, particularly for those who live in urban environments. However, which characteristics of nature provide these benefits?
Researchers from the University of Exeter, the British Trust for Ornithology and the University of Queensland proposed one possibility, which is that the greatest benefits would be provided by characteristics that are visible during the day and are most likely to be experienced by people.

Evidence suggests that the availability and quality of neighbourhood green spaces are associated with greater well-being.

The researchers analysed data from 263 people who participated in an urban lifestyle questionnaire online. The participants lived within the urban limits of “Cranfield triangle”, which is a region in southern England. The questionnaire was delivered in May 2014 when the weather was mild and participants were most likely to engage with nature.
The findings were significant and found that people who were able to see birds, shrubs and trees around their home – whether they lived in urban areas or more leafy suburban neighbourhoods – showed reduced symptoms of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and stress.
The study, which surveyed people with different ages, incomes and ethnicities, found that those who spent less time outdoors than usual the previous week were more likely to be depressed and anxious.
The study also found, after an extensive survey of the birds in the region, that people who saw birds in the afternoon reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress. The scientists found that the number of birds in the afternoon tends to be lower than those in the morning but afternoon birds are more likely to be seen on a daily basis in their neighbourhood.
Many common types of birds such as blackbirds, robins, blue tits and crows were seen during the study but there was no relationship between the type of bird and mental health. Rather, the number of birds that could be seen from the window, in the garden or in the neighbourhood is what made a difference to mental health in the surveyed participants.
There was a positive association between birds, shrubs and trees and better mental health even after other variables were controlled such as variation in household income, age and other socio-demographic factors.
This research shows that the presence of birds around the home and neighbourhood is an important factor in preventive mental health, which can make cities and urban places healthier and happier places to live.
Immersing yourself in nature is a very healing experience. Even though you may live in an urban environment, having trees and shrubs around you can calm your mind. And, now that research shows how impactful it can be for your mental health and wellbeing, indulging in a spot of bird watching is yet another way to connect with nature and reap its benefits.
Source: BioScience

"Discover the beauty in silence"

Read full article discover the beauty in silence (Wellbeing magazine)

Extract : "The health benefits of silence

Research, mostly done on the effects of meditation and silent prayer, is showing that silence is not only beneficial for your physical, mental and emotional health but critical.
Dr Herbert Benson, an authority on the mind’s ability to affect physical health, coined the term “relaxation response” to describe the physiological state your body is in when you are calm and relaxed but not sleeping. It’s the opposite of the fight-or-flight response that triggers the release of stress hormones cortisol and adrenalin and has been shown to have a direct beneficial effect on your health.
People who meditate or pray regularly have been shown to reap a number of significant health benefits, from lowered blood pressure to increased immunity and fertility. Neurological imaging studies from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire suggest that the “normal resting state of the brain is a silent current of thoughts, images and memories that is not induced by sensory input or intentional reasoning, but emerges spontaneously from within”.

It has been shown that we have about 80,000 thoughts a day — where in this onslaught do you have time for silence?

Dr Helen E Lees, a research fellow in the Faculty of Education and Theology at York St John University in England and author of Silence in Schools, writes that more and more schools are now incorporating quiet times into the daily schedules of students. This has had a great impact on students’ learning and behaviour with reports that “it calms, focuses and enlivens the pupils”. Silence used to have negative and coercive aspects in schools but is now used as a positive educational tool. Some schools even provide sanctuary rooms or buildings where children can go to be still and silent as a restorative tool.
When you connect with nature in silence you begin the process of healing and rebalancing all bodily systems, from the hormonal to the neurological and cardiovascular as well as the immune system. This in turn benefits you emotionally and mentally, giving an overall sense of wellbeing.

Recognised health benefits

The proven health benefits of silence are that it:

• lowers blood pressure
• reduces anxiety
• increases immunity
• lowers cortisol and adrenalin
• reduces pain
• increases energy
• increases concentration and mental clarity
• increases ability to deal with emotional issues
• improves sleep
• improves fertility"