Are You or Your Child Suffering From Nature-Deficit Disorder? Try a Large Dose of ‘Vitamin N’ or Green Exercise!

You’ve Heard of Spa Breaks, Spring Breaks, Coffee Breaks, and Family Fun Breaks to reduce stress and blood pressure – but are you familiar with the benefits of “Nature Breaks”? With ever increasing big-city development, population density, and not enough backyards, and too little in urban access ways to recreational parks, you or your child may be one of millions of Americans suffering today from “environmental deprivation” – a lack of exposure to nature and the outdoors. That’s right – the healing power of nature in both physically challenging activities and visually experiential observations and self-reflections – has now been proven to have scientific merit.

But before I delve into researchers’ studies and examples of “green prescriptions”, let’s determine if you are suffering from the negative effects of a Nature-Deficit Disorder.

1- How long has it been since you played in the outdoors – i.e. hiked in the mountains, swam in the ocean, paddled on a lake – AND- felt so vibrant and full of life doing it?
2- How long has it been since you planted flowers or vegetables in your own backyard garden or front-side verandah or window box –AND- felt the peaceful inner pleasure of watching something grow under your care?
3- And yes, when was the last time your child voluntarily spent time away from his or her video games, his or her television set, his or her computer monitor or  iPad, and his or her mobile phone –AND INSTEAD- happily volunteered to help out an animal shelter, set up a campsite, build a wildlife sanctuary, or become a map and compass trail instructor?

Whether you are six or 60 – without “enough” exposure to natural settings – illness and behavioral issues can suddenly erupt and spill over into your daily life and workplace. Here then is what researchers have found about the power of ‘Vitamin N’ for Nature in the last 30 years.

– During the 1980s and 1990s, a number of studies demonstrated that just looking at natural landscapes offered a wide range of benefits for post-operative hospital patients, office workers, prison inmates and car commuters: quicker recovery rates, higher work productivity, lowered blood pressure, less headaches and enhanced use of the senses.
– In 2008, University of Michigan researchers demonstrated that memory performance and attention spans were improved by 20 percent after just one hour of interaction with nature.
– University of Kansas researchers have reported a 50 percent boost in creativity for people who were immersed in nature for just a few days.
– And in Japan, Jikei and Nihon University research studies show that stress-buster sleepovers at the Enoshima Aquarium can counteract a bad day at work – specifically watching jellyfish. Apparently watching jellyfish overnight stimulates the production of a compound in the saliva associated with relaxation.
– Recent studies in the USA have also shown that bringing groups of inner city children with behavioral issues on recreational and educational field trips in nature can drastically improve their sense of self-worth and social relations with others.
– As for children brought up in rural areas, two Cornell University environmental psychologists discovered back in 2003, that the amount of green landscapes a rural child is exposed to greatly influences a child’s resilience against stress and adversity – “that life’s stressful events appear not to cause as much psychological distress in children who live in high-nature conditions compared with children who live in low-nature conditions”. Conducted by Professors Nancy Wells and Gary Evans, their innovative behavioral study of rural children and the “naturalness scale” of their residential environments assessed the degree of nature in and around the homes of 337 rural children in grades 3 through 5 (whose family’s socioeconomic status and income were the same) by the number of live indoor plants inside the family home, the amount of window view space of nature itself, and the material texture of the outdoor yard – grass versus dirt or concrete.
– In a separate study, Professor Nancy Wells also found that nature significantly boosted a child’s attention span when children were moved from poor-quality housing to better-quality housing with plenty of green spaces around.

All of this gives credence to the popular “Attention Restoration Theory” first developed by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan in their 1989 book, “The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective” – which asserts that “people can concentrate better after spending time in nature, or even looking at scenes of nature.” So with the importance of this in mind, let’s take a look at how you or your child might engage with nature and enhance your physical, emotional, and spiritual capacity to live good quality lives.

1-Plant a garden or “schoolyard habitat”. The National Wildlife Federation assists schools in developing and “certifying” outdoor classrooms where educators and students learn how to attract and support wildlife. These mini-outdoor environments then become places where students not only learn about specific wildlife species and ecosystems but they allow children to hone their academic skills and nurture their innate creativity and curiosity. Thus far, the NWF’s Schoolyard Habitat program has certified 4000 schoolyards in all 50 states of the United States plus two territories.
2-Become a “Nature Mentor” to your children or grandchildren. Establish a “green hour” in your household – sanctioned time for contact with nature be it a television program on nature, a lunch-hour picnic in the park or on your own backyard deck, or perhaps even encouraging your youngster with an outdoor DIY project of their own making – building a wooden bird house, creating a ceramic waterfall fountain or crafting a wreath from acorns, pinecones, shell, leaves, and straw.
3-Plan a “Nature-themed” vacation or “Eco-weekend” trip. Whether your destination is an expensive eco-friendly island resort or an inexpensive bed-and-breakfast in the rural countryside, keep in mind the healthful benefits of having locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs – knowing the eco-historical and cultural legacy of the region – and seeing the eco-vibrant practices, amenities, and recycling efforts being used to protect and preserve the ecological balance of the area.

So melt away all your family’s chaotic energy and rejuvenate your senses by tapping into and reconnecting with Nature! And make sure your child’s stress reduction routine and improved attention span is sprinkled with a large dose of Vitamin N treats!