Why Do We Love Nature?

Whether it’s lying next to a river, hiking up a mountain or walking through a field of greenery most of us can attest to the enjoyment and contentment we find when we immerse ourselves in nature. So, what is behind this near universal phenomenon? And how deeply can it impact upon our wellbeing?

It has been found that animals in captivity will often develop symptoms that seem to resemble forms of despair or depressive like symptoms. Parrots may tear their feathers out, chimpanzees may engage in repetitive rocking, drinking of urine or self-mutilation and some elephants sleep upright for years while moving their bodies neurotically. Many animals will also lose their desire to have sex. While behaviours such as these have been widely documented, it appears that humans may also experience a negative impact from a lack of exposure to nature.

Studies have found that mental health problems, including those as intense as psychosis, appear to be worse in people who live in cities as opposed to those who live in the countryside. Furthermore, researchers have suggested that people who move away from green areas to the city generally see a big increase in depression and those who move to green areas from the city generally experience a reduction in depression.

When people who live in big cities were instructed to take a walk-in nature, they reported feeling better and an increase in their concentration levels. For people who had been depressed the improvement was five times greater than for other people. Moreover, while people who run on treadmills and people who run in nature both tend to experience a reduction in depression, this reduction is greater for those who run in nature.

So why is this? Well while we can’t draw definitive conclusions as to why nature yields such a positive impact upon our wellbeing, there are a few theories which have been proposed.

Psychoevolutionary Theory

The term ‘biophilia’ refers to an innate love of the natural world and all that is alive and vital. This is a tendency that all humans are thought to possess and one that is rooted in our biology. Roger Ulrich, an advocate for the psychoevolutionary theory believed that humans have a deeply engrained affinity toward nature due to the many years that our ancestors spent living among it. This theory suggests that spending time outdoors has a positive impact upon one’s emotions, memory and cognitions and that when we lack this, we are more susceptible to feelings of stress and depression as well as physical health conditions including obesity or cardiac disease.

Attention restoration theory

The attention restoration theory was proposed by Rachel Kaplan and Stephen Kaplan and refers to the idea that being in a natural environment assists in building and maintaining focus. This theory suggests that nature is comprised of ‘soft fascinations’ which refers to soothing natural elements such as water crashing against pebbles, a light breeze or the heat of sunshine against ones skin. When we are surrounded by these pleasant sensations, we do not need to put effort into paying attention to them; our attention to these experiences comes naturally. Along with bringing us feelings of pleasure and contentment, we also become more observant and attentive. People who spend more time in nature tend to also be more intuitive, energetic and attentive.

From an increase in one’s attention to the potential minimisation of risk for cardiac diseases, the effects of nature on both our psychological and physical wellbeing are profound. Spending time in nature is something that is easy and accessible for most people and with the benefits it yields, there is every reason to do so.