Watching Blue Planet can help beat the blues
ITS warning on how plastic waste in our oceans is threatening the Earth was not exactly cheerful.
But other scenes in Sir David Attenborough’s acclaimed Blue Planet II series were so uplifting they really did boost the nation’s spirits, research shows.
Watching high- quality nature programmes can improve wellbeing by reducing negative emotions and making us feel less sad.
Scientists found that Attenborough documentaries boost the mood of viewers and ease the boredom of self-isolation.
Researchers from the University of Exeter made 96 volunteers feel bored by asking them to watch a video of someone describing their work at an office supply company.
They were then played scenes from Blue Planet II showing an underwater coral reef with fish and a turtle.
Lead researcher Nicky Yeo says the findings could have important implications for those who face extended periods at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Our results show that simply watching nature on TV can help to lift people’s mood and combat boredom,’ she said. ‘With people around the world facing limited access to outdoor environments because of Covid-19 quarantines, this study suggests that nature programmes might offer an accessible way for populations to benefit from a dose of digital nature.’ The team worked with the BBC Natural History Unit on the experiment, which included unseen 360-degree footage from Blue Planet II. The participants were shown the five-minute scene in one of three ways – on TV, through a virtual reality headset using 360degree video or through a VR headset using computer-generated graphics. The team found that all viewing methods minimised negative feelings such as sadness, as well as significantly reducing levels of boredom.
However, only the VR experience led to an increase in feelings of happiness and strengthened how connected people felt to nature.
Dr Mathew White, co-author of the study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, said: ‘We’re particularly excited by the additional benefits immersive experiences of nature might provide. Virtual reality could help us to boost the wellbeing of people who can’t readily access the natural world, such as those in hospital or in long-term care.
‘But it might also help to encourage a deeper connection to nature in healthy populations.’
The authors suggest use of a VR headset got richer results because it was more interactive. Work is needed to discover whether all nature documentaries have a similar effect, as the Attenborough series was a ‘particularly attention-capturing programme’.