Chronic stress is one of the most common problems people face, and it can be a major cause of various diseases, including cognitive issues and dementia. This refers to harmful "distress," not the healthy stress (also called eustress) that everyone occasionally experiences and which is necessary to achieve goals and growth in life.
Distress, on the other hand, gradually damages your body and poses a threat to your brain. Prolonged stress negatively impacts your sleep, your microbiome, your metabolism, and your blood pressure—all factors that indirectly contribute to dementia.
Fortunately, there is much you can do to manage stress. Any form of physical activity can help you cope better with stressful situations.
Walking is an excellent form of exercise. However, walking in nature offers additional benefits. Compared to walking in the city, walking in nature leads to a significant reduction in the stress hormone cortisol, as well as heart rate and blood pressure, after just 15 minutes. This is accompanied by an improvement in mood.
In Japan, this practice is called Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), but research in other countries has also shown that walking in nature is beneficial for the heart, immune system, and respiratory system.
The effect of a green environment should not be underestimated. If there is a lot of greenery around your home, you are less likely to experience depression and anxiety. Even simply looking at greenery through a window has a positive effect. A fascinating study showed that children who had a view of nature from their school were better able to concentrate. They also performed better on cognitive tests and recovered more quickly from stressful events.
Another study showed that looking at nature through a window for just 40 seconds led to fewer mistakes on tasks performed by university students.
Stress and relaxation occur through two major mechanisms: the nervous system and the hormonal system (with hormones like cortisol and adrenaline entering the bloodstream). Nature has a beneficial effect on both systems.
Don’t have a view of nature from your home or workplace? Simply looking at a photo of nature can already have a relaxing effect. Research shows that a wide-open landscape with a few scattered trees is the most relaxing. Some researchers believe this is because humans originally lived in savannas. An open landscape with a few trees might provide a sense of calm because it suggests that there is no imminent danger.
In summary:
- Try to walk in nature regularly.
- Take breaks during work to look out of a window at nature. If you don’t have a nice view, you can also look at photos of nature.