1. Reduce stress: Time in natural environments helps speed up recovery from mental fatigue, slows heart rate, reduces hypertension and stress.
2. Reduced symptoms of depression: Researchers have repeatedly reported improved mood in subjects, fewer cases of depression, as well as increased memory duration and reduced anxiety symptoms after a walk in nature, compared to a walk in an urban landscape.
A Korean study of patients diagnosed with mild to severe depressive symptoms examined their relationship to the effects of hospital-based CBT treatment and CBT treatment performed outdoors in a forest. The symptoms of depression were significantly less in the second group.
3. Better retention of memories: Compared to those walking in a busy urban area, participants who walked in a green landscape or just in a natural environment, such as a garden, were better able to concentrate on a test that tested their working memory.
4. Fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress: Studies in veterans and victims of natural disasters who participated in gardening treatments found that both groups could control the symptoms of their post-traumatic stress and developed more positive life attitudes.
5. Improvement of symptoms in cases of ADHD: In one study, students diagnosed with ADHD were better able to concentrate after a walk in the park compared to their classmates walking in a simple downtown neighborhood. Similar research has shown that even short breaks in nature have soothing properties.
6. Higher productivity and improved concentration in schools and workplaces: Students and workers with a view of nature proved to be more productive, but also more alert, more attentive and relaxed at the same time. They were less irritable and had far fewer asthma or allergy symptoms.
7. Higher levels of creativity: Nature walks, and even short visits to urban parks, have been shown to promote creativity, boost mood and a sense of vitality.
8. Fewer symptoms of dementia: When patients with dementia in a care facility became involved in gardening and outdoor activities, their cognitive abilities improved and there were fewer cases of aggressive behavior.
9. Self esteem: Scientists have shown in various studies that there are significant improvements in self-esteem and mood in both men and women after exercise in natural environments, and especially with the presence of water.
10. Higher intelligence: Other studies show that the deep experiences that connect us with nature are due to the geometry and architecture of both the natural environments and those we build to imitate nature.
