There are a multitude of factors that can influence and impact our mental health nature. Urbanisation is a major influence. Urbanisation is the process of population concentrated in cities and towns.

Urbanisation has profound effects on various aspects of human life, including our physical and mental health nature. While our cities offer numerous economic, social and cultural opportunities, they also present unique challenges that can particularly impact mental well-being nature.

Some of the key effects of urbanisation on human mental health:

1. Feelings of Social Isolation and Loneliness: influenced by factors such as long commutes, busy lifestyles, and limited social connections. This sense of isolation can contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

2. Stress and Overstimulation: Urban environments are often noisy, polluted, overcrowded, and fast-paced. This lifestyle can lead to chronic stress and overstimulation. Constant exposure to stressors can increase the risk of mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and burnout.

3. Disconnection from Nature: Urbanisation often involves the loss of green spaces and natural environments, leading to a disconnection from nature. Lack of access to parks, trees, and outdoor recreational areas can impact mental well-being, as contact with nature has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall psychological health.

4. Physical Health Impacts: Urban environments may have higher levels of air pollution, traffic congestion, and environmental toxins, which can adversely affect physical health. Poor physical health is closely linked to mental health issues, as chronic illnesses and physical discomfort can also exacerbate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

5. Socioeconomic Disparities: Urban areas often exhibit significant socioeconomic disparities, with pockets of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. Individuals living in marginalized communities may face additional stressors related to unemployment, inadequate housing, crime, and discrimination, all of which can impact mental health outcomes.

6. Access to Mental Health Services: While cities may offer greater access to mental health services compared to rural areas, disparities in access and quality of care still exist within urban settings. Factors such as affordability, availability of providers, stigma, and cultural barriers can hinder access to timely and appropriate mental health support.

7. Urban Design and Built Environment: The design and layout of urban environments can influence mental health outcomes. Features such as walkable neighborhoods, public transportation, bike lanes, access to parks and exposure to areas with trees, and mixed land use can promote physical activity, social interaction, and community cohesion, which are beneficial for mental well-being.

8. Urban Planning and Policy Interventions: Effective urban planning and policy interventions can mitigate some of the negative impacts of urbanisation on mental health. Strategies such as green space preservation, noise reduction measures, affordable housing initiatives, and community-based mental health programs can promote mental well-being and enhance urban live ability.

Overall, urbanisation has complex and multifaceted effects on human mental health. Addressing mental health challenges in urban areas requires a holistic approach that considers the interplay of social, economic, environmental, and policy factors.

The dramatic shift in our lifestyle from living amongst nature to living predominantly in urban environments, has effectively cut us off from regular access to nature.

A reduction in our exposure to nature also impacts how connected we feel to nature, and this lack of connection can contribute to a decline in our mental and physical wellbeing. Humans are healthy and happier when we have contact with nature and our health suffers the further we are away from nature.

When Dr Roger S. Ulrich published findings on the healing effects of a natural setting on hospital patients, in the 1980’s, researchers world wide began investigating what the link between nature contact and human wellbeing is.

The link between how much contact we have with nature and our wellbeing is not a new idea in many Asian and indigenous cultures. As Miyazaki states, “in Japanese culture nature is part of our minds, bodies and philosophy”. This mind set forms the basis of a wellbeing practice known as shinrin-yoku (forest bathing or forest therapy as it is known in Australia). Shinrin yoku is a preventative public health measure in Japan.

Clinical studies world wide demonstrate that nature has a powerful influence on our physical and mental wellbeing. These studies have lead to our understanding and acceptance that time spent in the natural world is good for us.

How does nature affect our mental health?

A study by researchers in the USA found that contact with nature was associated with the following:

• Decreased mental distress

• Increased happiness

• Improved self-reporting of wellbeing

• A sense of meaning and purpose

• More satisfying social interactions

• Positive mood affect

In terms of cognitive health a 2019 study found that contact with nature also has benefits for brain function, such as improving memory, attention, and adaptability.

One of the measurable physical benefits is the change in our immune function. After Forest Therapy participants shows increases in the volume of NK cells (one of the cells of the immune system) in the body which boosts our immune system function.

Taking time out to spend in greenspace, whether that be a park or garden is correlated with lower stress, anxiety, and depression.

We find that on average, people who visit public greenspace more often have lower stress, anxiety and depression scores than people who visit public greenspace less often.

However, when we consider the variation of an individual’s connection to nature, the reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression varied depending on a person’s subjective feeling of connection to nature.

Specifically, people with a weak sense of connection to nature exhibit little reduction in stress and anxiety scores even when they visited public greenspace frequently. One way to strengthen a sense of connection with nature is to spend more time engaging with it.

What is the benefit of spending time in nature?

According to a 2015 review, there are three major theories as to why nature improves mental health:

1. Humans are inclined to connect with nature because it was key to our survival throughout human history. Erich Fromm who described “biophilia” in 1973 as “the passionate love of life and of all that is alive; it is the wish to further growth, whether in person, a plant, an idea or a social group.

2. Or later E O Wilson described the “biophilia hypothesis” as an innate tendency or biological affiliation to focus on life and lifelike forms.

3. Spending time in nature removes unnatural stimuli, restoring our attention and helping us to focus better.

‘The Experience of Nature, a psychological perspective’, Rachel & Stephen Kaplan, 1989, Cambridge University Press

4. Nature contact creates a chemical reaction in our bodies that reduces stress. (Stress Reduction Theory)

Health benefits nature to human health are now becoming recognised in the world of modern Western medicine. Doctors in many countries are starting to prescribe green prescriptions to alleviate patients’ ailments. These are basically instructions patients have more contact with the natural world in their life.

In certain countries, such as Canada, New Zealand, USA, and Brazil a visit to your GP where you discuss certain problems, such as feeling low or difficulty with sleeping, might find you being prescribed a ‘green prescription’ (also known as a ‘nature prescription’).

This means your doctor wants you to include ‘nature-based activities’ in your life routine to improve your health. This increased contact with nature is known to improve human health, both physical and mental.

How to tap into the benefits of nature

A ‘nature-based activity’ doesn’t have to be rigorous physical activity – research shows that simple exposure to green and blue spaces – can help with your health. It’s just about being close to nature with the trees, grass, water, animals, or flowers. Even time spent in your own garden counts!

Any of the numerous places with vegetation and water can have marked impacts on mental health and happiness.

If your preference is to do something in nature, that is gentle and nurturing, a Forest Therapy or forest bathing session might be for you.

Researchers suggest, an ideal amount of time to improve wellbeing, can be found in the 2019 UK study . 120 minutes of outdoor time each week was associated with good health and wellbeing;

What is also seen, is those people spending between 200-300 minutes (3.5-5 hours) in natural environments per week have the highest well-being nature.

So, spending just two hours outdoors every week could be a great way to improve your mental and physical wellbeing.

Research shows, it doesn’t matter how we achieve this quota – you can choose to spend an afternoon in the park or have a several shorter visits, it’s all equally beneficial.

It’s important to remember we can never have too much of nature. And, that other lifestyle factors (such as diet, physical activity, substance use, and social support) all play a role in overall health and wellbeing.