Nature Therapy

Have you ever felt more refreshed and less tense after a trip to the Botanical Gardens or even after going for a quick walk around a nearby park? The smell of fresh air, sunlight filtering through the trees, birds chirping – we are likely to find that these elements of nature often bring us a sense of comfort.

Humans have spent many thousands of years adapting to natural environments, as compared to the relatively few generations inhabiting urban ones. Over the past few decades, we have largely transitioned into city-living and the amount of time we spend immersing ourselves with nature is at an all time low.

Nature therapy, also known as ecotherapy or green therapy, revolves around the opportunity for people to explore their relationship with nature. At its core, nature therapy is based on the principles of ecopsychology. It builds upon the idea that people are connected to and are impacted by the natural environment – namely plants, animals, soil, water and air.

Did you know? Ecopsychology is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the synthesis of ecology and psychology together with the promotion of sustainability. It looks at how people feel interconnected with the earth, and that such human-nature connections improve interpersonal relationships and emotional well-being.

What is it? 

Nature therapy includes horticulture therapy and shinrin-yoku.

Horticultural therapy includes acts such as tending to a garden, taking care of a plant at home, and other plant-based activities. 

Shinrin-yoku, otherwise known as forest bathing, is a popular practice in Japan and has also been gaining popularity worldwide. We know what you’re probably thinking… “A literal bath? In the forest?” Well, shinrin-yoku actually refers to the process of bathing in the forest atmosphere through our senses. In other words, mindfully experiencing nature. It involves focusing solely on taking our time to slowly and deliberately experience nature through our five senses – the sound of the birds singing, watching butterflies flitter around the flowers, touching the trunk of a tree, listening to the sound of a flowing river, and breathing in the forest fragrance. Doing so reconnects us to the natural world.

Nature and Mental Health 

At this point, a pressing question you may have is: Is nature therapy actually effective? There’s been a multitude of studies conducted and results suggest that yes, it is! Whether it's taking regular walks in the park, flying a kite, or participating community horticultural activities, nature therapy has many benefits for mental health.  

For example, after people were induced to be mentally fatigued after completing a task that depleted their mental resources, these people reported feeling less anger and more positive emotions after they spent 40 minutes walking in a nature reserve as compared to walking in an urban area or sitting quietly listening to music and reading magazines. Similarly, spending time walking in nature was associated with reduced symptoms of depression, feelings of reduced tension, and increased self-esteem. Children who lived in a home with green spaces nearby also tend to have a greater capacity for attention, delayed gratification, and are better at inhibiting impulses than children who live in buildings surrounded by concrete. 

Other restorative effects of natural environments include: 

Ψ Increased well-being 
Ψ Increased positive affect 
Ψ Decreased negative affect, like anger and anxiety 
Ψ Decreased physiological stress responses 
Ψ Sustained attention and interest 
Ψ Relaxed wakefulness 
Ψ Improved sleep-wake cycle 
Ψ Decreased rumination 

With the hustle and bustle of city life, we may not always have the time to head down to a park or a nature reserve (this author is particularly fond of the Green Corridor). Fortunately, we can still reap some benefits even without being fully immersed in a green environment. For example, simply viewing pictures of greenery or catching a glimpse of nature from a window has been found to improve mood, mental health, and life satisfaction.  

One of places where we frequently experience heightened levels of stress is the workplace. Fortunately, the simple act of viewing trees and flowers helps to reduce perceived levels of job stress, boost job satisfaction, and reduces the occurrence of illness and headaches. Similarly, viewing natural elements has also been found to buffer against the negative impact of job stress on intention to quit. The addition of flowers and plants to a workplace has also been documented to positively affect creativity, productivity, and flexible problem solving. 

Horticulture therapy also has a number of therapeutic benefits, such as improved memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. It also has an array of physical benefits, from coordination to balance and endurance! 

How does it work? 

‘Restorative environments’ are settings that help address mental fatigue. To be counted as a restorative environment, a setting should meet these 4 elements: 

1. Fascination/curiosity 

2. A sense of being away 

3. A sense of being part of a larger whole 

4. Compatibility with one’s inclinations 

As places of nature satisfy these 4 elements, they are ideal for restorative experiences. 

The soothing sounds that you hear when surrounded by nature plays a role too. When you are surrounded by calming noises of a soft wind blowing, crickets chirping, birds tweeting, and the trickle of a small creek, these pleasant sounds help your sympathetic nervous system “reset” at a faster rate than if you were to be surrounded by regular noise or even ambient noise. 

Putting it all together, nature therapy commonly follows a 3-step process:  

Who is it for? 

Ecotherapy is beneficial for everyone, offering focus and care that is person-centred, non-intrusive and empowering. 

Horticulture therapy, in particular, is helpful with depression and other mental health disorders and people from risk groups: people with PTSD, victims of abuse, lonely elderly people, drug or alcohol addicts, and people with special needs.

Nature? In Singapore? (aka bringing nature to you) 

Although spending time in nature is good for mental and physical health, we also understand that most of us might not have the time to visit a forest as often as we might want to. With our lives becoming increasingly urbanized as we revolve around screens, does this mean that we should rule out nature therapy? Definitely not. While we might not be able to embark on an epic trip to a national park, we can still enjoy and reap the benefits of nature that is available to us.  

Here are some ways to add elements of nature into your daily life and to practice mindfulness indoors:

Ψ Start where you are you. Notice how the natural world is part of your everyday life, even in the midst of the city. Put your phone away and instead, observe the greenery during your daily commute to and from work, the small plant on a windowsill in the office, and the changes in the colors of the trees along the pavement. Simply bringing awareness to its presence around you strengthens your connection. 
Ψ Have a meal near a fountain. It’s not a river, but the soothing sounds of running water can similarly calm you down.
Ψ Grow some potted plants or hanging plants (terrariums are very popular these days!). Not everyone has the space (or the green thumb) needed for a garden, but simply scattering a few houseplants around your home is equally effective. 
ΨParticipate in recreational activities that may be offered by your community centre or join a gardening club where you can tend to community gardens.
Ψ Undertake environmental conservation work 

In a world where our brains are constantly working overtime and excessive worries plague our minds, exposure to nature seems to benefit us physically, emotionally, and mentally. The importance of such natural landscapes also highlights just how important environmental preservation and green practices are so that future generations can continue to enjoy and reap their benefits. Nature therapy is a great way of getting people physically active outdoors, especially for those who shudder in fear at the word “gym”. It also fosters interpersonal connections and provides people with a source of meaning and purpose. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, embarking one of the many nature trails offered around the country might do just the trick in helping you feel better!