Solutions to dependence on technology

After spending countless hours researching what helps build a healthy brain - or restore one harmed by excessive screen use - it is clear that spending time in nature is one of the most effective courses of action. I’ve always loved being in nature, and I’m excited to share some of the incredible, specific ways it benefits us. Nature offers a wealth of benefits to our mental health, physical health, and cognitive abilities, which, in turn, positively affect our relationships, academic performance, and workplace readiness.

Despite its profound benefits, many of us spend far too little time in nature. Historically, humans lived almost entirely outdoors, retreating inside only to sleep. Yet today, we are more of an indoor society than ever before. Spending time in nature can be as simple as sitting outside, birdwatching, taking a walk/jog/run, playing tag with your kids, take a picnic to a park, go outside at night and stargaze, or hiking a local nature trail. More immersive experiences would include camping, white-water rafting, etc.

Many other cultures have stayed more connected to nature compared to the United States culture. I’ve already mentioned Japan and South Korea. This continued connection to nature is even reflected in other cultures’ vocabulary. For example, in Sweden, there is the word ‘gökotta.’ It refers to the idea of getting up early to enjoy nature and hear birds sing. It turns out, in particular, hearing bird songs is beneficial to our mental health. 1

There has been a growing body of research in the last decade showing how screens harm us, but just as exciting is the sheer depth of studies on the benefits of nature. The research showing the benefits of spending time in nature date back to the 1970s.

When I worked at The Bridgeway, a mental health hospital, I learned that staff had previously led patients on walks in the surrounding woods. Today, some trails may still exist but patients are confined to fenced courtyards due to attempted flight risks. In modern mental health inpatient treatment centers, patients are not allowed to leave until a psychiatrist signs off that they are ready to take care of themselves, so patients cannot be allowed in un-confined areas. Recognizing the power of fresh air and sunlight, I often conducted group therapy sessions outside, where patients visibly thrived. They loved it!

Research has proven that taking a walk in a wooded area, vs. taking a walk in an urban area, decreases cortisol by 12%. Remember, cortisol rises during stress (like when playing a video game or worrying about one’s social status online), and having cortisol that is too high leads to mood swings, weight gain, high blood pressure, etc. That same research revealed that walking in the woods delivered a 7% decrease in sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight, remember?), a 1.4% decrease in blood pressure, a 6% decrease in heart rate, and some participants reported better moods and lower anxiety. 2

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’d much rather you walk in an urban area than not walk at all, for sure. Walking is good for us, as is just sitting outside vs. sitting inside (…I type outside now as I have just gotten myself up off the couch to sit outside to work). The point is, walking in an area with grass and trees if possible.

Ready to learn about phytoncides? Good! Phytoncides are active substances in plants that help the plant defend itself against bacteria and fungi. When we inhale phytoncides by walking in nature, we can experience the antibacterial benefits, helping us to increase our immune system cells. Inhaling phytoncides can reduce stress up to 53% and lower blood pressure 5-7%. Even coming into contact with soil can have antiviral benefits. 3

Nature’s calming effects are so well recognized that South Korea developed a “Happy Train” program, taking school bullies into the forest for two-day retreats to help them become kinder. 4The energy level of the outdoors is calming, unless there is a thunderstorm, tornado, etc. The outdoors naturally calms us because our bodies tend to mirror the energy levels of our environment. This is why a crying infant often settles down when taken outside—the child adjusts to the environment’s calmness and the caregiver’s soothing presence through a process called co-regulation.

Many studies have shown that even looking out a window at nature has benefits that you don’t get if you look out a window at city buildings. Such studies have seen improvements in worker productivity, lower job stress, higher academic grades and test scores, and reduced aggression in inner-city residents. 5 My point is, if merely looking at nature can achieve these results, imagine the benefits of fully immersing yourself in it! In 2023, about 325.5 million people visited U.S. National Parks, so you’ll be in the company of about that many happy people! Around 168 million people visit U.S. National Forests each year, as well.

Nature is so powerful that even access to ‘green space’ is associated with improved well-being. The Journal of Pediatric Nursing concluded that access to green space can improve well-being by improving attention restoration, memory, and by moderating stress as well as having other benefits. 6

Directed attention is the ability to focus on one thing and not get distracted. Attention restoration theory posits that being in nature helps to regulate peoples’ directed-attention abilities. The Kaplans developed this theory in the early 1990s. Attention restoration theory posits that green scenery produces “easy attention” by drawing the eye while calming the nervous system, creating a state of “calm alertness,” which is our ability to focus. 7

Regarding some of the reasons nature can help with work productivity, academic grades, etc., “Time in nature has been proven to increase attention, focus, and concentration.” 8 Need any more motivation? One of the most common complaints you hear about modern life is that children and adults are ‘too distracted’ and can’t focus. It looks like that distractibility stems from the deadly combination of screen time and not enough time outdoors. To reference another source of studies, “Much of the research (from the Children and Nature Network) shows improved benefits in the areas of academic performance with enhanced memory and attention, positive social developmental interactions, behavioral changes, and an increase in children’s cognitive and emotional mental health, including increased imagination and creativity.” 9

Once again, too much screen time can reduce the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter, serotonin. Here’s an antidote: “Soil contains healing microbes. Studies of rats have shown that exposure to soil and the bacteria mycobacterium vaccae, increases serotonin. The neurotransmitter serotonin is known to decrease depressive symptoms and improve cognitive functioning.” So, get out there in the dirt! 10

Hopefully, as children and teens play outside, they actually contact the dirt and get it on their skin Consider this: “Dirt can heal: in two separate experiments in England and the United states in 2007 and 2010, the mice lucky enough to be exposed to a common soil bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae, performed better in a maze, showed less anxiety and produced more serotonin, a neurotransmitter many scientists think is associated with happiness.” 11

One of my good friends recently went on a trip to Ireland, to walk (in a huge circle) many miles in the countryside, staying at bed and breakfast places along the way. I asked her what the most different/surprising things were about being outside so much. She said, “It forced me to be in the present moment.” Wow, I wasn’t expecting that answer (nor was she expecting that experience, in my opinion), but I am not surprised about it at all. Being in nature does basically force us into the present moment, and countless studies (and therefore self-help lists) emphasize the importance of practicing being-in-the-moment as refreshment for our souls. When our minds are occupied with the present, there is no room for worries about the past or future. This mindfulness is so important that I devoted an entire chapter to it…Chapter 9, therefore, the fact that nature promotes mindfulness is a very big reason to spend time in nature.

When the Covid-19 pandemic started, pretty soon it became summer and so in my counseling practice, I offered to see clients at a local park. (Don’t worry, they signed consent forms specifically acknowledging the risk of privacy violations. Yes, ‘walk and talk’ therapy is a thing!). Many clients took me up on the offer, instead of having to see me through a screen. Those clients loved it! Nature is healing for us and it allowed us to be in-person so I could truly get a grasp on their emotions and body language, as we sat in lawn chairs 6+ feet apart.

Being outside can elicit the emotion of awe. We certainly feel awe when we see something like the Grand Canyon, but I think we can also develop the ability to feel awe when we see the intricacies of a flower. That makes me think of my grandmother, Margaret. She had a keen ability to ‘stop and smell the roses’ literally and figuratively. I think that was one of the keys to her overall well-being. Awe causes us to focus on something outside of ourselves. Come to think of it, video games and social media are very self-focused. In gaming, a person is focused on their winning. On social media, a person may be communicating with another person, but still in the background is the pressure to make himself or herself look good.

Awe has been shown to:

calm the nervous system, reversing the sympathetic nervous system activation caused by screen use.

expand our perception of time, helping us to not feel the need to rush and increasing our willingness to volunteer

Strengthen empathy

Boost our mood, which can increase motivation and productivity

Increase our desire to explore and learn, enhancing academic performance as mentioned earlier

Make us more likely to be generous by taking our minds off ourselves

Reduce inflammation; Inflammation is related to many negative health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Out of 7 positive emotions, awe is the only one shown to be related to reduced inflammation.

Increase humility; Humility is a major component in a civilized society, in my opinion. We need more of it! This includes intellectual humility and the openness to changing one’s mind.

Increase open-mindedness; Awe can lead us to be more likely to scrutinize things, therefore leading to openness.

Thus, giving us greater life satisfaction.

The information in this paragraph about awe was taken from: https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf

What better way to conclude a chapter about nature than to talk about the awe we experience when in nature. If you are in too much of a hurry to experience awe, please, please slow down when you see, smell, taste, feel, or hear something from nature and think about how different it is from our indoor, and in some places outdoor (cityscape), surroundings.

If you find yourself unable to conquer your screen addiction on your own, please feel free to reach out to me as a coach who is certified to treat digital addiction.

References:

1:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2023/birds-song-nature-mental-health-benefits/?fbclid=lwAR2q-dzwfcdRCalPGLeXYfOFIssTnVWpXilgUvli_KxYUWi5

2: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams (2017).

3: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams (2017).

4: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams (2017).

5: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams (2017).

6: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28882650/

7: Reset Your Child’s Brain by Dr. Victoria Dunckley (2015).

8: Nature-Based Play and Expressive Therapies, by Multiple Authors (2022).

9: Nature-Based Play and Expressive Therapies, by Multiple Authors (2022).

10: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9564959/#:~:text=In%20addition%2C%20a%20study%20of,and%20behavioral%20responses%20%5B33%5D

11: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams (2017).