“A walk in the park may soothe the mind and, in the process, change the
workings of our brains in ways that improve our mental health.”
Gretchen Reynolds
A raft of studies highlight the influence green and growing places have on our psyches. In fact, there’s growing evidence that urban dwellers who are deprived of opportunities to spend time in green, natural spaces are at risk for their mental health.
But exactly how can a visit to a park — or even just looking at a green plant in our work space — shift our moods? Does experiencing nature change our brains in ways that affect our emotional well-being?
According to pioneering research, the answer is yes. In one study, researchers investigated how a walk might affect the act of brooding — the broken-record replaying of problems — a familiar mental process to us all. The researchers decided to track activity in a specific part of the brain before and after people spent time in nature.
The results were impressive: Volunteers who strolled along quiet, leafy,
tree-lined paths showed less stress; their minds were soothed and they
experienced meaningful improvements in their mental health — their
“broodiness” scores were far lower than volunteers who walked a long a busy highway with high levels of noise.
The nature walkers did not dwell on the negative issues in their lives as much after their walks as they did before strolling around outside. The part of their brains that responded to stress was also quieter.
What is it exactly about a walk in the park that’s soothing and can
almost instantly lift our moods? It could be the greenery, the quiet,
the sun, the smells, the relaxing activities that people tend to enjoy
in this kind of setting. It’s probably all of these.
Whatever the source, it’s clear that one solution to relaxing and calmly focusing our minds to boost creativity and productivity in our pursuit of the writing life is to make sure we get a healthy dose of greenery on a regular basis. Write on!
