For those familiar with Internet slang, “touching grass” has become a popular term to signal the (often critical) need for someone to get outside and detach themselves from the anxieties of constant social media and electronic devices. As humorous as it sounds, “touching grass” is incredibly important for you: interacting with green and natural spaces has many proven mental health benefits. Here are three benefits for you to consider:
1. Having access to nature decreases anxiety and depression
Research from Oxford University indicates that nature in urban spaces, such as vegetation cover, plays a key role in influencing the levels of anxiety and depression that people experience. Participants who lived in neighbourhoods with higher vegetation cover reported decreased levels of anxiety and depression.
We’re For The Birds event in High Park, Toronto © Ontario Nature
A recent Carleton University study also shows that there is a proportional relationship between the number of bird and tree species in a given neighbourhood in Canadian cities and people’s mental health. The higher the number of species, the more likely participants self-reported their mental health as “excellent,” “very good” or “good.” The presence of varying bird species accounted for a seven per cent increase in the positive self-reports, while tree species accounted for an additional five per cent.
Trees also have the power to restore our senses. For instance, Indigenous leader Carolynne Crawley leads “forest therapy” walks in Toronto to encourage people to foster spaces of reconciliation with nature and practice slowing down.
Forest therapy with Carolynne Crawley © John Anderson
2. Just by sitting outdoors, your cortisol levels drop
Cortisol is the hormone responsible for your body’s reaction to stress. Just a 20-minute walk surrounded by nature can reduce your cortisol levels. It can also improve cognition and focus.
The 20-minute timeframe of being in natural spaces is also recommended by the founders of the Park Prescriptions (PaRx) program, a BC Parks Foundation initiative described as a “prescription for nature.” Through this program, doctors and physicians prescribe their patients with time outdoors for improved health. Organizations like the Toronto Zoo and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority have also partnered with Park Prescriptions to provide special discounted rates for patients to access natural spaces within the GTA.
Youth Summit for Mother Earth 2024, Camp Tawingo, Lake Vernon © Rowan McKenzie
3. Productivity rises when nature is present
With more time spent in nature, improved cognition means an improvement in attention span and reduced mental fatigue. You don’t even need to head outside. Having natural light and plants in your workspace might make all the difference when it comes to improving performance.
Research has also shown that creativity and the ability to problem-solve increase after spending a few days outdoors.
Along with the amazing mental health benefits, evidence suggests that people connected to natural spaces are more likely to protect it, too. The advice rings true: go touch grass!
Help Ontario Nature protect more places so we can all enjoy the wonderful benefits of nature. Visit this webpage to find out how you can get involved.
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