mental health

Festival of Winter Walks

November 28, 2023 by Admin

Written by Amy Stocking, Leaping Forward for Dementia Project Manager

Dr. Iain showing our Leaping Forward for Dementia group his geology maps.

Even when it is cold outside, it is still really beneficial to get outside for your physical and mental wellbeing.

Light levels (measured in lux) are lower in Winter but you can still access 2000 lux on an overcast day, compared to 500 lux from sitting indoors! Lux will help to stimulate the production of serotonin which boosts your mood.

A great way to top up your serotonin is to wrap up warm and keep moving by joining a guided walk. Our Leaping Forward for Dementia group in London recently enjoyed a geology walk around Streatham Common led by Dr. Iain Boulton from Lambeth Council. He gave a fascinating insight into the ground beneath us and how the council are using this knowledge to inform how they look after the local environment, decide where to plant trees and decide where to create wetland areas to help the local amphibian population.

The group loved looking at geology maps of South London and asking lots of questions. Thank you so much for your time Dr. Iain!

Written by Madeleine Barnes, Transforming Lives Trainee.

Going for a wander outside might not be first on your list of activities in the colder months, but don’t dismiss the idea! The world is just as beautiful in the winter as in any other season if you take the time to appreciate it – leafless trees allow grander views of the land, snow blanketing everything in pristine white, and you can still see plenty of animals going about their lives.

The Festival of Winter Walks is an event that runs from mid December to mid January, established three decades ago by the Ramblers, a charity dedicated to supporting all kinds of walkers and protecting our rights to access the countryside and the pathways linking amazing places.

The festival encourages community connection and appreciation of the amazing spaces available to us – plus, even a short walk outside in nature will provide a much needed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

So, head outside! Join a local group walk, take family and friends, or have a solo adventure. Whether it’s somewhere new or somewhere familiar, share your winter experience with us on social media, and if you live in the Peterborough area consider visiting one of Froglife’s public reserves: Boardwalks in the city centre and Eye Green just north of Eye village.

Happy rambling!

World Volunteer Day

November 28, 2023 by Admin

Written by Kaitlin Oliver, Transforming Lives Trainee

scottish volunteers Volunteers play a big part in the world of conservation. Without volunteers many nature reserves wouldn’t be where they are today. December 5^th is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers worldwide and to promote the value of volunteerism.

Volunteering is a fantastic way of connecting to the community and making a difference, especially in conservation. Not only are you helping nature and all its inhabitants, but volunteering can also benefit you personally in a multitude of ways. Being out in nature can significantly improve your mental health, as well as be a great source of exercise. Making friends and being social with others allows you to integrate yourself as an important member of the community and volunteering in conservation is a good entryway for getting a job in the sector.

There are lots of different ways you could give your time to help us in our mission to protect amphibians and reptiles! Froglife has multiple volunteering opportunities across the country with different projects needing help. We aim to make volunteering with us as fun and rewarding as possible, so that you get as much out of it as the wildlife you are helping.

We at Froglife express endless gratitude to their volunteers, share success stories, and highlight the diverse ways in which volunteers make a difference. Froglife is extremely proud of all their volunteers and the work that they’ve achieved.

Find more information about volunteering with us here.

The Healing Power of Nature: Exploring the Impact of Nature Prescriptions on Mental Health

November 13, 2023 by Admin

Written by Jackie Edwards

“Nature itself is the best physician,” said Hippocrates, evidencing the extent to which people have always relied on nature for their mental health. Hippocrates spoke from instinct and observation, but over the past few decades, a plethora of scientific studies have proven him right. One 2022 study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, for instance, found that a one-hour walk in the Great Outdoors reduces stress-related brain activity. Specifically, the central brain region involved in stress processing, the amygdala, is less activated in times of stress among people who live in rural areas. But the good news is that you don’t need to live in the countryside to harness nature’s benefits. Studies have shown that just 10 minutes of time in the midst of nature can make a big difference. A visit to the woods or a park, for instance, does wonders for your state of mind, as does time spent near bodies of water (including ponds, lakes, ditches, and rivers). So the next time you have a short break, don’t spend it online. Head outside, breathe the air, catch the beauty of local wildlife (such as amphibians and reptiles), and open your senses to the healing benefits of nature.

Nature Quells Anxiety

Because nature is a powerful stress buster, it is a great ally for those battling stress and anxiety. A 2021 University of York study, for instance, showed that outdoor nature-based activities can improve mental health problems such as anxiety, as it leads to improved mood and more positive emotions. Gardening, exercise, nature walks, and simply spending time outdoors all weave their magic. The researchers stated that while all these activities are effective in themselves, it seems that doing them in groups leads to even bigger gains in mental health.

Nature vs Depression

A myriad of studies has also been undertaken on the beneficial effects of nature time for people battling depression. One study focused on the now-popular habit of shinrin-yoku (or forest bathing). If you’re not familiar with shinrin-yoku, know that it’s a simple activity that anyone living near the woods can undertake. It essentially involves visiting a green area and opening your senses to your surroundings. To listen to the chirping of birds or the sound of insects, touch fallen leaves or give a tree hug, take in the beauty of the surroundings, and more. Studies have shown that when it comes to depression, the largest and most consistent improvements are found in forest walks. Nature walks and getaways essentially provide an escape from stressful environments and promote a mindful, relaxed state.

Nature Is Essential to Human Health

Researchers at the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences have requested governments and those responsible for planning and architecture, to take the human-nature connection into account. There is a simple equation that is true across all human ages and cultures: access to nature and green environments boosts cognitive function and promote better mental health overall. By contrast, less access to nature is linked to a plethora of problems, including higher rates of anxiety disorders and clinical depression. Nature helps to connect older and younger neighbors, which in turn helps keep depression and loneliness at bay. Age-inclusive communities are increasingly turning to parks and gardens as a means for neighbors of all ages to form connections and friendships and provide a vital source of support to each other. In fact, outdoor spaces are one of the eight elements of authentic age-inclusive communities and they should be prioritized in new and existing developments alike.

Could Green Prescriptions Undermine the Benefits of Nature?

It is indisputable that spending time in green settings benefits mental health, but could formal “green prescriptions” from doctors undermine some of its benefits? The answer seems to be in the affirmative, as found in a study undertaken in 2020 by University of Exeter research. Their findings showed that although pressure from doctors to spend time outdoors could encourage more visits, it could also lessen the positive effects of green time. This means that healthcare professionals and loved ones should be sensitive and subtle when recommending time in nature for people with depression and anxiety. Specifically, they should encourage them to head to green places they already enjoy visiting, and highlight the fascinating benefits of green time, without making it seem like they “must” visit green areas. “Nature cannot be forced on anyone, but must be provided at the individual’s own pace and will,” said researcher, Matilda van del Bosch.

Time in nature is undoubtedly vital to human health. Studies have shown that time spent outdoors can help quell stress, anxiety, and depression. While this is the case, those suggesting this activity to loved ones or patients with mental health issues or high-stress lifestyles should do so subtly, so it does not make them see nature time as a chore or a duty.

National Stress Awareness Day

October 31, 2023 by Admin

National Stress Awareness Day is a sponsored event hosted by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), a registered charity promoting the dangers of stress and the best practices to manage it. It takes place on the first Wednesday of November, which this year is November 1^st.

Their website details the severe negative impacts that chronic stress can have on one’s health, such as hypertension and loss of sociability, as well as a step-by-step guide on how to recognize and address these issues.

There have been several studies conducted and years of research that show Green Spaces have a significant positive impact on one’s physical and mental health. Experiencing the outdoors and getting your blood pumping boasts a variety of physical health benefits, which has the knock-on effect of helping to alleviate stress and worry. Blood pressure and stress levels are likely to decrease, and reuniting with nature will improve your mood.

Froglife has several projects around the country that serve to promote these spaces and their benefits, such as Green Pathways for Life. This November 1^st, to commemorate National Stress Awareness Day, Froglife encourages you to visit a local Green Space or sign up to volunteer at a local nature reserve. It won’t take long for you to experience firsthand these wonderful benefits, and we hope you will join us in the discussion of the importance of our continued conservation efforts.

Croaking Science: The benefits of green spaces and nature on mental health

March 29, 2022 by Admin

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks” – John Muir

As well as the conservation work Froglife does for amphibians and reptiles across the UK, we also run projects that promote education amenities and research activities for the benefit of the public. We run wildlife projects for disadvantaged young people and those with dementia, such as our Green Pathways, Green Pathways for Life and Leaping forward for Dementia projects. A common issue amongst our participants is mental health, especially coming out the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Eco therapy style project is based on scientific research that suggests being outdoors and connecting with nature, have hugely positive effects on individuals.

As countries become increasingly urbanised, the world’s population is spending increasingly less time exposed to natural environments (Cox et al, 2018). It has been reported that 55% of the world’s population live in urban areas and this is expected to increase to 68% by 2050 (United Nations, 2018). Unfortunately, urbanisation not only means spending less time in natural environments but more time destroying them and reducing the number of green spaces around the globe (Collins, 2014). Aside from the detrimental environmental effects of this, loss of these green spaces and time spent in them could have hugely negative effects on people’s mental health and well-being.

There is growing evidence to suggest that being in nature has positive effects on people’s mental health. Studies have shown that green spaces can lower levels of stress (Wells et al, 2003) and reduce rates of depression and anxiety, reduce cortisol levels (Park et al, 2010) and improve general well-being. Not only can a simple walk in nature boost your mood but also improve your cognitive function and memory (Berman et al, 2012). Green spaces can provide a buffer against the negative health impacts of stressful life events. A Dutch study showed that residents with a higher area of green spaces within a 3km radius had a better relationship with stressful life events (Van den Berg et al, 2010) which was soon to be increasingly important in recent years with the effects of COVID-19.

So what is it about natural environments that are good for mental health and wellbeing?

Positive Physiological effects

Something as simple as exposure to natural environments can be physiologically restorative (Conniff et al, 2014). This means that being in a natural outdoor environment can have positive mental health effects due to the physical processes elicited in the body. A Japanese study showed that viewing and walking in forest environments can promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rates and blood pressure when compared to city environments (Park et al, 2010). These physiological effects are all a counter to the physical effects stress causes in the body and are what happens when you relax. A recent study found that those who had access to natural spaces during the COVID-19 lockdowns had lower levels of stress and those that could view nature from home had reduced psychological distress (Ribeiro et al, 2021).

There are multiple psychological theories as to how nature helps our mental well-being. The two common prevailing theories on how nature brings about these positive effects are the Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) coined by Ulrich (1981) and Kaplan et al’s (1989) Attention Restoration Theory (ART). SRT suggests that nature promotes recovery from stress and that urban environments have the opposite effect. Ulrich proposes that being in unthreatening natural environments (a green space you would consider safe) activates a positive emotional response. That being in nature produces this as a universal innate connection, promoting the physiological effects of lower blood pressure, heart rate and increases attention which in turn blocks negative thoughts and emotions (Ulrich et al, 1991). Kaplan et al’s ART works around the idea that we have different types of attention: voluntary or involuntary, and that the latter requires no effort. After using voluntary attention we experience ‘attention fatigue’, reducing our cognitive abilities and increasing mental fatigue. According to Kaplan et al, when we use our involuntary attention it gives us time to restore our voluntary attention. From this, Kaplan et al have suggested that what nature provides acts as a restorative power by providing four processes:

Being away – an opportunity to distance from routine activities and thoughts.
Soft fascination – nature holds attention effortlessly: think about the sunsets, sound of water, leaves blowing in the wind all-natural phenomena allowing your voluntary attention to rest.
Extent – nature provides an immersion experience, engaging the mind and rest from concerns.
Compatibility – a setting that is well matched to human needs and desires, providing a feeling of being in harmony with a greater whole.

These two theories have much in common: they focus on cognitive vs autonomic processes and both support a change in attention and stress load when an individual interacts with the natural environment (Gregory N. Bratman, 2012). However, they differ in how they suggest the primary mechanisms work. The effects the theories suggest are blurred in the sense of cause and effect: does a reduction in stress levels allow someone to concentrate better or does replenished direct attention help reduce stress?

Both these assertions are controversial in the field of environmental psychology, yet much research falls under either both or one of these theories.

Mental Health and Nature Policy

To what degree these theories influence policy is debated but it is clear that in recent years, especially after the recent pandemic, that nature spaces are becoming an increasing priority for mental health provision. Research has evidenced that we need to shift our attention from focusing on people visiting green spaces to how we interact and connect with nature close to home through simple activities (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). The Mental Health Foundation suggests from their research findings that we need to focus on six main areas in policy:

Facilitating connection with nature
Protecting the natural environment and restoring biodiversity
Improving access to nature
Making green spaces safe for all
Using the planning system and urban design to improve the visibility of nature in every local area
Developing a life – long relationship with nature.

Through our projects at Froglife we provide ways for people to interact with the environment instead of simply just being in it.

Promotion of Physical activity

Green spaces such as nature reserves, wilderness environments and urban parks also promote certain behaviours, such as encouraging physical activity within the space, which is a pro-mental health behaviour. Experimental studies have shown that not only do green spaces promote experience but they may be better for mental health than activity in other environments. Those that perform exercise in natural environments once a week are at about half the risk of poor mental health as those that don’t (Mitchell, 2013). Participation and involvement in nature is often tied to physical activities such as gardening or farming, trekking or running: the evidence of the benefits of this promotes the idea that green spaces should be seen as an essential health resource (Pretty, 2004).

There are many more benefits associated with natural green spaces. However, in terms of mental well-being, greener areas have been associated with a sustained improvement in mental health, highlighting the significance of green spaces, especially in urban areas. They provide not only a habitat for wildlife but also sustainable public health benefits (Alcock et al, 2014). Many studies have shown that more time spent in nature is associated with better mental health, independent of culture and climatic contexts, as well as the promotion of physical activity.

In addition to the wildlife and environmental benefits of conserving nature spaces, especially in urban areas, we also benefit in many ways from these natural spaces. This gives us even more reason to continue to protect our wildlife and conserve our natural areas and green space.

References

Alcock, I, et al., 2014. Longitudinal Effects on Mental Health of Moving to Greener and Less Green Urban Areas. Environmental Science & Technology , 48, 1247-1255.

Berman, M.G, et al., 2012. Interacting with nature improves cognition and affect for individuals with depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 140, 300-305.

Bratman, M.G, et al., 2012. The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Issue: The Year in Ecology and Conservation Biology), 1249, 118-136.

Collins, A.M., 2014. Destruction of urban green spaces: A problem beyond urbanization in Kumasi city (Ghana). American Joural of Environmental Protection, 3, 1-9.

Conniff, A, et al., 2016. A methodological approach to understanding the wellbeing and restorative benefits associated with greenspace. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 19, 103-109

Cox, D.T.C, et al., 2018. The impact of urbanisation on nature dose and the implications for human health. Landscape and Urban Planning, 179, 72-82.

Kaplan, R, et al., 1989. The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Mental Health Foundation, 2021. Nature- How Connecting with nature benefits our mental health. Published on-line.

Mitchell, R., 2013. Is physical activity in natural environments better for mental health than physical activity in other environments? Social Science & Medicine, 91, 130-134.

Park, B.J, et al., 2010. The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine, 15, 18-26.

Pretty, P. J., 2004. How nature contributes to mental and physical health. Spirituality and Health International, 5, 68-78.

Ribeiro, A.I, et al., 2021. Exposure to nature and mental health outcomes during COVID-19 lockdown. A comparison between Portugal and Spain. Environment International, 154 article 106664.

Ulrich, R. S., 1981. Natural Versus Urban Scenes: Some Psychophysiological Effects. Environment and Behavior 13, 523-556.

Ulrich, R. S., et al., 1991. Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11, 201-230.

Van den Berg, A. E, et al., 2010. Green space as a buffer between stressful life events and health. Social Science & Medicine, 70, 1203-1210.

Wells, N.M. & Evans, G.W., 2003. Nearby Nature: A Buffer of Life Stress among Rural Children. Environment and Behavior, 35, 311-330.

The benefits of green spaces and nature on mental health.

September 23, 2021 by Admin

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks” – John Muir

As well as the conservation work Froglife does for amphibians and reptiles across the UK, we also run projects that promote education amenities and research activities for the benefit of the public. We run wildlife projects for disadvantaged young people and those with dementia, such as our Green Pathways, Green Pathways for Life and Leaping forward for Dementia. A common issue amongst our participants is mental health especially coming out the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Eco therapy style project is based on scientific research that suggests being outdoors and connecting with nature, have hugely positive effects on individuals.