Healing properties of the blue and green spaces! (Are you team Blue or team Green?)

#beONEwithnature #teamblue #teamgreen #bothteamswin

Following the hustle and bustle of festivities, I went for my trek/climb up Bukit Timah hill recently. It was a much needed breather from a rather intense schedule of spring cleaning, visitations, work, family, and more (read: urban commitments). Though the time spent in nature left me with sore muscles, I gained, in more ways than one, from the experience. For one, I have a renewed motivation to be consistent with my exercise regime to keep up my stamina…and of course, totally can't forget the refreshing air and beautiful scenes on my way up!

The natural healer

Nature has been found by many research studies to have healing properties. It is indeed important to us in keeping us emotionally, psychologically and physically healthy and well. More specifically, time spent in nature can offer the following …

Research (e.g., Schetz & Berman, 2019; Taylor, Kuo, & Sullivan, 2002; Kuo & Sullivan, 2001) showed positive association between exposure to nature and performance on working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control tasks as well as self-control behaviours in both children and adults.

Studies had also found that contact with nature is related to increase in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions and a sense of meaning and purpose in life and decrease in mental distress (Bratman, et al, 2019).

Time spent in nature is associated to more time spent outdoor and exposure to sunlight. This translates to increased vitamin D exposure – which in turn leads to lower risk of vitamin D deficiency.  Additionally, exposure to daylight can stimulate one’s alertness, maintain one’s circadian rhythm and promote healthier sleep cycle – which leads to better (mental and physical) health outcomes.

Nature has been shown to buffer the effects of social isolation. For instance, a study (Cartwright et al,2018)  found that when people, with low social connectnedness, had higher levels of nearby nature, they reported higher level of subjective well-being.

This reminds us of the covid-19 lock-down days (not too long ago) in which we are, to varying degree, isolated from human interactions depending on which phase of lock-down. Studies (e.g., Labib et al, 2022) suggest that those who were connected with nature during covid-19 pandemic tend to experience less mental health conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety) and more happiness and life satisfaction.

Nature : green and blue spaces in rural and urban landscapes

Green spaces such as parks, woodland or forests are the nature referred to in many earlier research – but over time, research carried out on blue spaces such as marine and freshwater environments had shown that these blue spaces are also good for well-being (Gascon et al, 2017).

Besides the prototypical nature that we have in mind – i.e., forests and wilderness, oceans and lakes, nature can also be found all around us in cities and towns that we live in such as our balconies at home; gardens, parks and water bodies in neighbourhoods, schools or care facilities.

This can facilitate the ease by which one can connect with nature even if one only has a brief moment and if travelling to forest or wilderness may not be possible.

How much nature time is enough?

White and colleagues (2019) has found that spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature (regardless of one long or shorter visits) is associated with good health and well-being.

Both photos were taken on my recent expeditions and my attempt to be closer to nature. Being ONE with nature brings not just tranquility and peace to us but a host of other health benefits as well. Thank you, nature, our natural healer!

Connection to nature

As people benefit from their connection to nature, they may feel more committed and connected to the idea of caring for these natural environments. This can be due to them witnessing and experiencing, in reality and in person, the adverse impact of deforestation and climate change on the green-blue spaces. It appears that people and nature mutually benefit from each other in this case.

It truly sets us thinking about how we can further protect these spaces which had consistently supported us and enabled us to flourish…

As we can see, there is a growing evidence that depicts the healing properties that exposure to the natural environment (both blue and green spaces) have on our human health and wellbeing. And more specifically, one can strive to indulge in nature at least 120 minutes a week in order to reap the benefits.

A gentle reminder to head out to be ONE with nature ... Maybe we can consider a walk at the neighbourhood park or reservoir; snorkel or row a canoe; a trek up the hill or just a picnic-kind of day out in garden. These can be a welcoming thought given the recent monsoon season which kept us all indoors.

Lastly, I am team BOTH - to be honest, i love being in both green and blue spaces.

Fun fact: I used to indulge in water sports like rowing canoe and dragonboat. I particularly enjoy being in the blue spaces as it keeps me in sync and at peace with the rhythm of waves ... now, i am on land more and hence, exploring more green spaces.. Well, different seasons, different spaces.

So, are you team Blue, Green or both?

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References

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Bratman, G. N., et al (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 5 (7).

Cartwright, B. D. S., White, M. P., & Clitherow, T. J. (2018). Nearby Nature ‘Buffers’ the Effect of Low Social Connectedness on Adult Subjective Wellbeing over the Last 7 Days. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(6), 1238.

Dadvand, P., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., Esnaola, M., Forns, J., Basagaña, X., Alvarez-Pedrerol, M.,  Sunyer, J., et al (2015). Green spaces and cognitive development in primary schoolchildren. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 112, 7937–7942.

Gascon, M., Zijlema, W., Vert, C., White, M. P., & Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J. (2017).  Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: A systematic review of quantitative studies, International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 220(8), 1207-1221.

Kuo, F. E., & Sullivan W. C. (2001). Aggression and violence in the inner city: Effects of environment via mental fatigue. Environment & Behavior, 33, 543–571.

Labib, S.M., Browning, M.H.E.M., Rigolon, A., Helbich, M., & James, P. (2022). Nature's contributions in coping with a pandemic in the 21st century: A narrative review of evidence during COVID-19. Sci Total Environment.

Schertz, K. E., & Berman, M. G. (2019). Understanding Nature and Its Cognitive Benefits. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(5), 496-502.

Taylor, A. F., Kuo, F. E., & Sullivan, W. C. (2002). Views of nature and self-discipline: Evidence from inner city children. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22, 49–63.

White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J. et al. (2019). Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 7730.