[ad_1]
According to a new study published in the journal, a 20-minute natural experience can dramatically reduce your stress hormone levels. Frontiers in Psychology.
"We know that spending time in nature reduces stress, but until now, we did not know what was enough, how often to do it, or even what kind of experience in nature we would benefit, "said lead author, MaryCarol Hunter, a partner. Professor at the University of Michigan.
"Our study shows that to get the best results, in terms of effectively reducing cortisol levels, a stress hormone, you should spend 20 to 30 minutes sitting or walking in a place that gives you a glimpse of nature."
The researchers said health practitioners could use this discovery as a guideline for prescribing "pills for nature" to their patients. Pills for nature can provide an inexpensive solution to reduce the negative health effects of increasing urbanization and inner lifestyles dominated by on-screen viewing.
During a period of 8 weeks, participants were to take a pill for nature lasting 10 minutes or more, at least 3 times a week. Levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, were measured from saliva samples before and after taking a pill for nature, once every two weeks.
"Participants were free to choose the time of day, duration and location of their experience in the wild, which was defined as being outside of what, in the participant's opinion, gave them the impression to have interacted with nature, "said Hunter.
"There were some constraints to minimize the known factors to affect stress: take the pill for nature in broad daylight, do not do aerobic exercise and avoid the use of social media," he says. Internet, phone calls, conversations and reading.
"By incorporating personal flexibility into the experience, we were able to identify the optimal duration of a pill for nature, no matter when or where it is taken, and under normal circumstances of modern life, with its unpredictability and busy schedule. "
The results show that a nature experiment of only 20 minutes was sufficient to significantly reduce cortisol levels. But if you spent a little more time in a nature experiment, 20 to 30 minutes sitting or walking, cortisol levels dropped to their highest rate. After that, additional de-stressing benefits continue to add up, but at a slower pace.
"Health practitioners can use our findings as a factual rule of thumb to decide what to prescribe in a pill prescription for nature," Hunter said. "It provides the first estimates of the impact of nature's experiences on stress levels in the context of normal everyday life. It breaks new ground by addressing some of the challenges of measuring an effective dose in nature. "
Hunter hopes this study will form the basis for future research in this area.
"Our experimental approach can be used as a tool to evaluate how age, bad, seasonality, physical abilities and culture influence the effectiveness of nature's experiences of well-being. This will prescribe personalized natural pills, as well as a deeper insight into how to design cities and wellness programs for the public. "
Source: Borders
Related Articles
Source link
