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Nature Can Improve Wellness

April 22 is Earth Day. That gives us an opportunity to cover some information related to environmental wellness. We will begin with some of the ways that the natural world can soothe and refresh us. Wallace Stevens, a poet, wrote "the greatest poverty is not to live in a physical world," suggesting that if we're out of touch with the physical world, we will also be out of touch with our feelings. Sometimes that might mean that we just feel irritable and don't know why.

Many people believe that being out in nature is helpful, and science has provided some research that supports that belief.

• People recovering from surgery leave the hospital sooner and need less pain medication if they have a view of nature from their room.
• People recovering from cancer who garden and participate in other outdoor activities show improved concentration, return to full-time work sooner, and are more likely to start new projects.
• People who were shown a violent movie regained a lower blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension faster if they viewed a nature scene after the violent movie than if they viewed a city scene.
• Office workers who view trees and flowers from their windows experience less frustration, feel higher job satisfaction, and report fewer headaches that those without such a view.
• Students who see nature from their dorm windows score higher on tests measuring abilities to focus on a task than students without a view of nature.
• People who live in neighborhoods with trees report better relations with their neighbors, a stronger sense of community, and a greater sense of safety. There is less domestic violence as well.
• Young participants in wilderness discovery programs develop improved self-esteem, a stronger desire to attain goals, and improved mental well-being.

In this part of New Mexico, being able to view nature is quite easy; we're lucky that way. In a 1996 article in New Woman by Barbara Jones, Stephen Kaplan, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, computer science, and engineering at the University of Michigan suggested that we walk in a natural setting or work in the garden for at least 15-20 minutes daily or for at least an hour three times a week. If you don't like to walk or garden, try something else outdoors and pay attention to whether it helps you feel good.

Because the most important thing is paying attention to the nature that is around us, try to consciously notice the sunshine (or the rain), the trees, the flowers, the birds - any piece of it can help us maintain our psychological, emotional, and physical wellness IF we pay attention. And we can do that whenever we get out the door; it does not take a special occasion or trip.