Scenery for the soul
Charlie Bullough looks at the Snacking on Nature report which explores the impact of scenery on mood and wellbeing
I mmersing yourself in nature is a well-known technique for trying to help boost your mood.
There have been numerous scientific studies about the restorative effects of nature on thought processes, the human body and on emotional states.
But what was less known, until now, is how different types of natural environment can affect people’s moods and wellbeing.
A research team from Goldsmiths University of London set out to explore whether awe-inspiring settings like waterfalls and everyday nature scenes like woodland could make us feel more positive, creative and determined.
The i2 media research unit, who polled more than a thousand people online for the Snacking on Nature report, discovered that blue environments such as the sea, rivers and lakes are most likely to evoke positive emotions of inspiration (52 per cent) and happiness (68 per cent).
Woodland settings were said to drum up feelings of clarity (46 per cent), while mountainous landscapes stimulated feelings of optimism (46 per cent). And open settings such as meadows and fields conjured a sense of excitement (30 per cent).
Report co-author Anna Stewart said: “This research is a step towards understanding the link between nature and specific mood states. The findings show that water environments are linked more frequently to significant changes in mood when compared to urban settings, demonstrating the power of more awe-inspiring settings like waterfalls, seas and lakes for improving mood and decreasing negative emotions.
“These awe-inspiring settings were rated as more attractive and more novel by our sample, suggesting that if you’re looking for a mood boost, it’s best to choose an environment that you like, but that you don’t get to see or visit very often as this should have the most positive effects to your mood.”
But don’t worry about seeking out your nearest waterfall or snowy peak as researchers used short videos of scenes like the sea and woods as well as urban scenes to elicit responses.
Participants were asked a series of questions relating to mood, creativity and their perceived ability to perform different challenging cognitive tasks both before and after watching the videos.
Findings largely supported the scientists predictions and showed that exposure to videos of natural environments resulted in an increase in positive mood states and a decrease in negative mood states. The study found that 57 per cent of participants reported a preference for sea, lakes and water environments compared with 33 percent who opted for green and woodland environments. Only 10 per cent preferred an urban setting.
The team concluded that spending time in any natural setting can boost mood, wellbeing and perceived creativity. It said water environments like sea and lakes were the most effective for reducing sadness and anxiety. It also helped increase positive effects, interest and inspiration.
Snacking on Nature also gave hope to people who can’t get out into the great outdoors. It said watching films of natural environments can garner the same benefits. And even short videos of three minutes can produce the desired effects.
The independent research was commissioned by plantbased snack maker ZENB. As part of the research to explore the link between feelings and natural environments, ZENB has also teamed up with author and broadcaster Jasmine Hemsley to produce the Bites of Nature podcast.
The downloadable series looks at how different landscapes help inspire people like a rock climber, a garden designer and an extreme sports athlete.
Jasmine said: “This research demonstrates really neatly how even ‘snackable’ portions of nature can improve your wellbeing. I’ve always believed in the power of nature but to see it confirmed via this study is really compelling – the fact that scenes such as woodlands can have such a benefit by inspiring clarity of mind and that the sea can soothe anxiety, is so important at this time when so many of us are experiencing such uncertainty and upheaval.
“I’ve been inspired by these results to create the ZENB Bites of Nature podcast and loved chatting to my fellow nature-lovers and guests in the series, on the results, our favourite experiences in the natural world and my guided mindfulness exercises on how to enjoy nature in all her glory”.
Dominic Melliss, managing director of ZENB UK, hopes the podcast will inspire people to embrace nature, even if they are pushed for time.
He added: “The last six months has been challenging for a lot of people but one thing our research has revealed is the power of nature to alter our moods. A fifth of people said that they felt less anxious after spending just thirty minutes or less in nature, showing how just small snackable amounts can have a big impact. We hope our new ‘Bites of Nature’ podcast will encourage people to get into the great outdoors, even if they only have five minutes.” To listen to the podcast go to https://zenb.co.uk/pages/podcasts.