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The Great Outdoors: Nature
#160415
01/16/14 01:13 AM
01/16/14 01:13 AM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2016
Dedicated Member
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
Calif. USA
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New study proves exposure to nature directly improves happiness
by Julie Wilson
(NaturalNews) A recently released study featured in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal Environmental Science & Technology proves that exposure to nature directly improves mental health.
With nearly 80 percent of the world's population residing in urban areas, ACS researcher Mathew P. White cites mental well-being as a major public health concern, listing "unipolar depressive disorder as the leading cause of disability in middle- to high-income countries."
The study, which was conducted in the UK, compared the mental health of 100 people who moved from city landscapes to greener, more natural settings and those who relocated in the reverse direction. The data showed that those who relocated to settings with a higher exposure to nature were found to be overall happier during the three years that their mental health was recorded.
The researchers concluded that "[m]oving to greener urban areas was associated with sustained mental health improvements, suggesting that environmental policies to increase urban green space may have sustainable public health benefits."
Nature makes you feel alive
Previous studies have shown that exposure to the great outdoors directly increases one's feelings of vitality, which subsequently generates more energy and even helps develop a more resistant immune system.
The lead author and a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, Richard Ryan, insists, "Nature is fuel for the soul. Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature."
Not only does direct exposure to nature increase happiness, but simply imagining yourself outdoors or recalling previous outdoor excursions has been shown to increase serotonin levels, thus boosting mood, decreasing exhaustion and improving overall health.
In a separate study conducted by the University of Rochester, researchers sampled the effects of nature on 537 college students in both real and imagined situations.
One experiment included students taking a 15-minute walk through indoor hallways or outside along a tree-lined river path. A second experiment consisted of students examining photographic scenes of buildings or landscapes, while the third experiment asked students to imagine themselves in a variety of scenarios including being both indoors and outdoors, active and inactive and with others or alone.
The final part of the experiment recorded the students' mood and energy levels, which were then documented through diary entries. The data found that individuals who spent time outdoors, or simply imagined themselves in nature, consistently experienced higher energy levels and increased feelings of happiness. Researchers noted that just 20 minutes outdoors a day greatly boosted energy levels and improved one's mood.
Additionally, according to the study, the presence of nature such as indoor plants had an independent energizing effect above that of being outdoors. In other words, just being outdoors was vitalizing because of the presence of nature.
A psychologist at the University of Hamburg, Germany, Ryan Netta Weinstein, asserts that, not only does outdoor exposure increase happiness, but it also influences character traits. Studies show that those who are exposed to greener landscapes reportedly build generosity and a more caring attitude than those who are continually surrounded by city life.
"Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more a part of our lives is critical, especially when we live and work in built environments," said Weinstein.
Scientists believe that, because of our innate connection with living things, it's extremely important to incorporate natural elements into our urban landscapes.
Virtual reality replacing the great outdoors
A recent survey released by the Vision Council revealed that 70 percent of adults experience "digital eye strain," which stems from too much time spent staring at TVs, tablets, laptop computers and cellphones.
Because the blink response is suppressed while staring at digital screens, the eye becomes dry after being denied its natural lubrication. The effects include blurry vision, fatigue, neck and shoulder strain, and even macular degeneration and cataracts.
Technology is steadily replacing our natural environment, with "digital eye strain" being just the latest negative impact on human health.
Sources include:
http://www.eurekalert.org
http://www.eurekalert.org
http://www.nbcnews.com
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.nei.nih.gov
Suzanne
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Re: The Great Outdoors: Nature
[Re: Suzanne]
#175715
07/30/15 06:42 PM
07/30/15 06:42 PM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2016
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
Calif. USA
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More Scientific Proof That Nature Is An Effective Treatment For Depression And Negativity
by L.J. Devon, Staff Writer
(NaturalNews) Walking alongside the creek with sand squishing in between his toes, a wandering man watched as the water rippled across the rocks. Looking back at his sandy foot trail, watching it meander along the water's edge out of sight, it seemed almost as if time had been frozen in place for fifty feet or so.
Getting lost in the passing trees, each step he took into the green was one step further from being heard or seen. He felt like he was losing himself with every step. A fulfilling kind of drunkenness swelled up inside him. The erratic noises of city life and the false images of self were beginning to fade away as nature's palette of colors came into full view.
Kneeling creekside, cupping his hands to splash water onto his face, it seemed like anything was possible. With his eyes wide open and his ears perked to the sounds of birds calling, he could feel his worries dissipate.
Nature walks prevent negative self-talk that fuels depression
Nature is healing in all its diversity and color. The way everything cooperates is solace to the mind. The way everything is interconnected brings peace to the soul. Researchers are now aiming to harness these mystical qualities of nature to help rehabilitate those who are struggling with depression and cognitive decline.
A plethora of scientific studies are now finding that people who take micro-breaks to view nature have better attention spans throughout the day. Likewise, schools that allow children to view more nature see remarkable improvements on cognitive tests.
A new cognitive neuroscience study by Stanford University captured the benefits of nature through neural changes in participants' brain scans. The results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study featured 38 individuals living in urban areas who had "no history of mental disorder." After being divided into two groups, the individuals were asked to take a 90-minute walk and answer a few questions before and after the walk. A brain scan was also conducted before and after the walk. The first group walked along a noisy downtown road in Palo Alto, California. The other half enjoyed a walk through a natural setting near the Stanford campus.
The questionnaire was designed to measure the individuals' degree of "rumination", which is a type of inner, negative self-talk that causes people to overthink their life. Rumination is tied to an increased risk of depression. Finding ways to stop this cycle of inner negativity could ultimately be the greatest forms of therapy for mental disorders. The questionnaire asked the participants if they agreed with statements like, "My attention is often focused on aspects of myself I wish I'd stop thinking about," and "I spend a great deal of time thinking back over my embarrassing or disappointing moments."
When the researchers looked at the participants' brain scans, they honed in on a special region of the brain called the subgenual prefrontal cortex. The study called this area of the brain "an area that has been shown to be particularly active during the type of maladaptive, self-reflective thought and behavioral withdrawal that occurs during rumination."
Without a doubt, the participants who took the 90-minute nature walk answered their questionnaire differently after the walk, showing a decrease in negative self-talk. The change was also observed on their brain scans, which showed less activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex.
"This provides robust results for us that nature experience, even of a short duration, can decrease this pattern of thinking that is associated with the onset, in some cases, of mental illnesses like depression," said the lead author of the study, Gregory Bratman.
The brain scans validated longtime speculation that being around nature has a therapeutic effect on the mind, erasing depression. This new evidence strengthens the case that nature provides the ultimate form of cognitive therapy. Vitamin N (nature) is also a free, non-invasive treatment that doesn't have deadly side effects as observed in many SSRI depression medications and other psychotic drugs.
Sources:
http://www.washingtonpost.com
Suzanne
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Re: The Great Outdoors: Nature
[Re: Suzanne]
#175811
08/02/15 05:27 PM
08/02/15 05:27 PM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2016
Dedicated Member
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
Calif. USA
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Kids Who Grow Up On Farms Learn Dedication And Hard Work, Employers Says; Urban Kids Become Pathetic Losers
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) The value of hard work isn't necessarily learned in the classroom; it's learned on the land. Or at least that's what many employers are saying these days about the quality of their workers - employees who grew up in rural areas on farms tend to be more engaged and have a strong work ethic, while employees who grew up in cities attending university without having to work tend towards laziness and often lack necessary life skills.
It's a trend that's sweeping Australia, anyway, (and most definitely the U.S.) with an emerging generation of young folks who are highly educated in the system, but who lack basic "street" knowledge and willingness to get their hands dirty. Many of these college-educated youth look good on paper, say experts, but they just don't have the necessary experience required in a real-world work setting.
"I've had countless experiences with kids who are just not ready," says Jack Trenamen, a mining employer in Australia's Queensland region, to News.com.au. "They haven't picked up the skills that you learn by working and that's often because they haven't had to."
"They come in late, they don't realize that they might have to do things they don't want to, and they don't appreciate the job. They think if they don't like it here they can just pack up and get another job around the corner, keep chasing that almighty dollar without building their skills."
Today's young people often don't work until after college, which ironically makes them unemployable
It might sound like a sweeping generalization to say all this, but the Australian Bureau of Statistics has collected considerable data over the years that affirms this sentiment. Only a small fraction, some 31 percent, of 15 to 19-year-old students in Australia currently work part-time jobs, says the agency, which means that the vast majority of young people are working their first jobs after graduating from college.
This is a sharp contrast from past generations where it was the norm to work after-school jobs throughout adolescence, which prepared young people for the real world in a way that today's emerging generation won't ever realize. And even when they do finally enter the workforce post-graduation, today's youth often don't know how to actually get the job done.
"A number of our members consistently tell us they're seeing students come out of university or training programs and they might have the academic or theoretical skills, but no skills to work at all," says Kate Carnell, CEO of the Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, affirming what mining employer Trenamen is seeing with his own workforce.
"General issues are not understanding that a job is about turning up on time every day, not just when you feel like, that it's about taking direction, and basic things like you've got to be well presented and you've got to be pleasant. The number of young people not working while they're in school is one of the problems."
Affluence, mechanization, and industrialization have made today's young people lazy and unmotivated
It's a trend that can also be seen throughout the U.S., as many modern conveniences and technological advances have driven children indoors on their computers and iPads rather than outside playing or out working to support their keep. Parents are actually doing their children a disservice when they keep them from work in favor of studies, which limits the level of practical experience these young folks will gain to help them survive once they leave the nest.
"It's not that the universities are teaching the wrong thing, but more that young people are encouraged to get an eduation, follow that to a job they believe they want to do, and the assumption that it's going to be an automatic match with what's required in the labor market," says Professor Johanna Wyn, director of the Youth Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, as quoted by News.com.au.
Sources:
http://www.news.com.au
http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news_story.aspx?sid=74179
Suzanne
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Re: The Great Outdoors: Nature
[Re: Suzanne]
#180392
04/27/16 05:42 PM
04/27/16 05:42 PM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2016
Dedicated Member
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
Calif. USA
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Why Kids Who Play Outside Are Smarter, More Creative And Better Adapted To The Challenges Of Real Life
by L.J. Devon, Staff Writer
(NaturalNews) Somewhere deep inside every one of us, beating as natural as a heart's pulse, is innocence and goodness. Somewhere deep inside, our inner child desires a sense of freedom, to take up the calling of who we are, to build something of our own, to explore the unknown, to be unique. Somehow along the way we've been instructed to follow along, to get in line, to learn a certain way.
As our childhood innocence and desire for freedom is beaten out of us, we become adults constantly searching for meaning – always drawn back to a box of comfort, of confinement.
Our childhood experiences determine much of our psychology as adults. Allowing our children to play outside freely in an unstructured, natural environment may be one of the best decisions we ever make as parents. Letting children create games and play along freely with their friends provides them with ideal conditions so that they can develop leadership skills, teamwork, problem solving skills and visionary traits. It's these qualities that help them adapt to the challenges of real life as they grow up.
I remember the way I felt when I was 12, cutting trails through the woods, building bridges across creeks with fallen longs, erecting tree houses and forts with scrap lumber. It was these moments of unadulterated childhood freedom that I remember the most to this day. It's these moments, hammering nails and hanging out of trees, where I was alive, creating my own space, adapting to my surroundings.
Sometimes it's as simple as a sandbox, a bicycle ride with friends, or making games up on a trampoline. The possibilities are endless. I remember playing late into the summer evenings, in muddy ditches and creeks, shooting hoops and playing pickup football games.
Electronics stunting children's ability to adapt to the real challenges in life
Today, free-spirited childhood experiences are being replaced with artificial reality and long hours behind electronic screens. As face-to-face interaction disappears, children lose their ability to communicate, to dream. The stereotypical American child now spends an average of seven hours inside, behind an electronic device! How will they ever be able to cope with the real world when half their waking childhood is consumed in an artificial world?
The upcoming generations are being deprived of their inherent creative abilities. As they are consumed with electronic devices day and night, their interpersonal and inner-personal growth is stunted. By being separated from nature, the mud, the trees, the birds and the bees, children lose their connection with all life. According to a study from the University of Michigan, just being outside with nature improves the memory and attention of children.
On top of that, children who play outside are healthier and smarter, because their immune systems are exposed to the real world of germs and therefore allowed to adapt to it all.
According to a Swedish study, when children engage in cardiovascular, outdoor activities, specific proteins and growth factors actually stimulate their brains.
Organizing children's lives and planning their academic success stunts their problem-solving skills later in life
The more we organize and micromanage our children's activities, the more we stunt their ability to figure things out on their own. Parents feel so pressured to get their children to succeed, that they push them into organized clubs, groups and extracurricular activities. Many times children just need unstructured, free-flowing, imaginative fun, where they make the rules – where they run freely through the woods, the yard and the neighborhood.
It's hard to fathom, but the average American child today only spends 30 minutes outside in unstructured play. Those 30 minutes outside each day would never have been enough for me growing up. Sometimes our kids need free time to just lie in the grass, catch bugs, talk with friends or drift into imaginative thought for hours.
As we script and plan our children's activities and force them into structured environments, they go into adulthood and become followers, herded and shut up. Our number one goal should NOT be to push them toward academic excellence or to push a college plan on them at age 12. Kids need freedom to make up their own minds, to pursue their own paths, just like adults. If we continue to script their lives for them, they will grow into adulthood as dependents, clinging to false versions of themselves. As they strive to conform to the structure that's been thrust upon them, they become too afraid to venture onto paths of their own.
Sources include:
BlacklistedNews.com
Science.NaturalNews.com
-Suzanne-
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