#15: Nature

Does being outside and enjoying nature improve our mental health and functioning? Join me as I discuss what the research suggests about spending time in nature and provide tips on how to appreciate nature and the outdoors. Music featured in this episode: "Alice in Neptune," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House). Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com References Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 15, 169-182. Pouso, S., Borja, Á., Fleming, L. E., Gómez-Baggethun, E., White, M. P., & Uyarra, M. C. (2021). Contact with blue-green spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown beneficial for mental health. The Science of the total environment, 756, 143984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143984 Soga, M., Evans, M. J., Tsuchiya, K., & Fukano, Y. (2021). A room with a green view: the importance of nearby nature for mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Ecological Applications, 31(2), e2248. Stevenson, M. P., Schilhab, T., and Bentsen, P. (2018). Attention restoration theory II: a systematic review to clarify attention processes affected by exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology & Environmental Health Part B, 21, 227–268. doi: 10.1080/10937404.2018.1505571 Yin, J., Yuan, J., Arfaei, N., Catalano, P. J., Allen, J. G., & Spengler, J. D. (2020). Effects of biophilic indoor environment on stress and anxiety recovery: A between-subjects experiment in virtual reality. Environment International, 136, 105427. Zhang, J. W., Howell, R. T., & Iyer, R. (2014). Engagement with natural beauty moderates the positive relation between connectedness with nature and psychological well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 55-63.