Written By Megan Bowers, MD, PhD
Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist
Exposure to Green Spaces Changes Your Brain!
You may have experienced the calming effects of spending time in nature, but are you aware that there is a neurobiological basis for this calming experience? Scientists who study the structure and activity of the brain have known for some time now that spending time in nature can change the brain.
Specifically, the part of the brain that is associated with fear, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders is less active after spending time in nature. Moreover, the overall structural integrity of the brain is improved by living in proximity to a forested area, presumably due to spending time in that same forested area.
These findings suggest that you can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety by spending time in green spaces, whether that is a park, a forest, a botanical garden, or your backyard.
How Does Nature Impact Mental Health?
What do we know about access to green spaces and mental health? Recently, the entire world experienced a major stressor in the form of a global pandemic that changed the way we work, play and relate to each other. During the pandemic, those who spent more time in nature were less likely to experience depression and anxiety, possibly due to reduced experiences of stress.
We also know that time in nature can improve memory, attention and impulse control, both for typically developing individuals, and those with attention and impulse control challenges, such as individuals with ADHD.
The benefits of time in nature go beyond mental health as well, and include improved academic performance, improved cognition, and improved physical well-being.
How Much Nature is Enough?
Well, the more the better, however the few research studies that have tried to answer this question have shown that the most benefit from indoor green spaces is achieved when 10-25% of the space is filled with plants.
The benefits of time in outdoor green or blue spaces can be seen after just 5 minutes, however the more time you spend in nature, and the more frequently natural spaces are visited, the more likely you are to benefit.
I hope this knowledge motivates you to go outside, find a green (or blue) space, and enjoy the calm and clarity that comes from your time in nature.
Megan Bowers, MD, PhD is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist specializing in neurodevelopmental disorders, and is the founder of Bowers Integrative Psychiatry and CEO and Medical Director of The Mind Grove TMS Center. Her work focuses on integrative approaches to mental health, combining evidence-based medication management with lifestyle and mind–body interventions.
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