We sometimes go a long way to look for relaxation solutions that are within everyone’s reach. Contact with nature is a source of immense benefits, now validated by neuroscientists.
It revitalizes and transmits its energy, as we know. Moreover, since the ordeal of confinement, many city dwellers have gone to seek El Dorado in the provinces. Being in contact with plants, trees, animals, daylight… induces many health benefits, especially for psychological well-being. Stress and anxiety decrease, mental ruminations calm down, intellectual performance (creativity, attention) is boosted. The immune system is also strengthened, this exposure reducing the toxic effects of inflammation.
Natural spaces slow down the physiology of the body, opening the doors to well-being
“Today, almost 70% of the world’s population lives in cities, compared to 15% in 1900, but our brains have remained that of a Paleolithic hunter-gatherer. Nature brings us back to that time when we were one with the elements,” explains Michel Le Van Quyen, research director at Inserm in the biomedical imaging laboratory on the Cordeliers campus in Paris, and author of “Brain and nature”. The calm of natural spaces solicits the most ancestral part of our brain: the autonomic nervous system, which automatically regulates the vital activities of the organism. The parasympathetic system, managed by the vagus nerve, is activated and overall slows down the physiology of the body. It calms down little by little, opening all the doors of well-being.
And no need to do an internship forest therapy and “tree hugging” to enjoy these benefits. Moreover, to date there is no study on the validity of this accolade.
A solitary walk of regarding twenty minutes in a pretty setting is enough. Failing that (even if carnal contact with nature is to be preferred), the mere sight of potted plants, a glance out of the window or at a wallpaper representing a landscape provide genuine “repairing micro-breaks”. They put the brain at rest and allow it to tackle the problems of daily life in a much more efficient way.
“You have to understand that nature is very deeply inscribed in man. Our brain has evolved in synchrony with it for millions of years. It marked the fundamental behaviors and it was the very basis of our survival, says Michel Le Van Quyen. It is therefore not simply decoration or entertainment. We must relearn how to integrate it into our lives, it is a matter of visceral need. »
In Japan, the practice of “forest bathing” is encouraged
A walk in the forest is particularly beneficial, according to the neuroscientist. Already, it allows a unique olfactory experience. “Trees emit volatile molecules, phytoncides, which inhibit the stress-responsive sympathetic system. The effect on the body is comparable to that of a light antibiotic”, specifies our expert. And low-intensity stimuli, such as the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, etc., bring appeasement to the senses, a real session of ASMR (a natural relaxation method). Finally, the forest places us in contact with bacterial diversity (such as Mycobacterium vaccae, both swallowed and breathed in), which enriches our microbiota, our “intestinal brain”, which also influences emotions and the mind. In Japan, the practice of “shirin-yoku” (forest bathing) is also strongly encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and several studies have shown that a weekend walk among the trees strengthens the immune system for several weeks.
We understand better the interest of revegetating urban centers. Currently, one out of two French people does not have access to a green space less than ten minutes from their home. In addition to refreshing the atmosphere and reducing the carbon impact, bringing nature back to the heart of cities improves the living environment and strengthens our mental defences.
“Brain and nature”, by Michel Le Van Quyen, ed. Flammarion, 272 pages, 20 euros.
©
DR
Listening to the silence of the mountains or contemplating the infinite blue of the ocean produce equally lasting physiological effects. It is even said that observing blue offers more health benefits than seeing green. “More archaically still, our attraction to water draws its source in part from the marine origins of terrestrial life. We feel on familiar and protective ground there, and floating gives sensations that bring us back to the first bath in utero”, concludes Michel Le Van Quyen.
