Nov 21, 2020 09:00:00

What are the 'four ways' that nature makes people healthy?

It is known that contact with nature is good for mental health and health, and '

green prescription ' that recommends recreation that comes into contact with nature instead of medicine is also attracting attention. Inverse, a science news site, introduces the health benefits of spending time in nature as 'Four Ways Nature Makes People Healthy.'

Four ways nature makes you healthier
https://www.inverse.com/mind-body/nature-benefits-physical-health

According to Inverse, people in developed countries spend 90% of their day indoors, and as they get older, they spend less time outdoors and interacting with nature. However, it is said that human vitality and health are improved by coming into contact with nature, and the following health effects can be obtained as typical ones.

◆ 1: Immunity improves
It has been reported that the more time you spend in nature, the better your immunity. A 2020

study found that children living in urban areas went to a day care center with a playground that recreated nature for a month, increasing the diversity of gut flora and strengthening immunomodulatory pathways. I did.

According to the ' biodiversity hypothesis ', contact with the natural environment brings diversity to human intestinal bacteria, promotes the immune system, and can be expected to have a protective effect from allergies and inflammation. Further research is needed to prove the theory, but early research results seem to support this hypothesis.

Exposure to nature is also said to turn off the body's ' fight or flight or reaction ' and switch to a mode of rest. The fight-or-flight response caused by stress shuts down some non-essential functions, including the immune system, to deal with an imminent crisis, so switching body modes from the fight-or-flight response can be It can be said that it is also important for health.

◆ 2: Stress reduction
Humans can experience chronic stress if they spend less time in nature. Chronic stress

has been linked to digestive problems, headaches, heart disease, sleep problems, and weight gain. Living in a lush urban area is associated with reduced risk of adult cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma, and poor mental health, and contact with nature protects against a variety of illnesses. It seems that they will do it.

◆ 3: Brings analgesic effect
The people who experience chronic pain in the target forest therapy 2016 that investigated the effect of research in a significant reduction of subjects who received a forest therapy pain and depressive symptoms, and the improvement of quality of life related to health I reported.

A 2005 study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh also found that patients who had surgery on the spine were hospitalized in a sunny room, which reduced pain and stress during recovery and reduced the dose of painkillers. It turns out that it has become.

◆ 4: Sleep improves
Sun exposure helps to biosynthesize vitamin D , release nitric oxide , produce β-endorphin , and regulate circadian rhythms . Due to these effects, sunbathing in nature improves sleep quality and makes you feel better.