Scientific evidence that living in Norfolk is good for health and happiness

by Kathy Robb

The summer solstice on June 21 means that summer is officially here, and with it the pleasure of being outdoors in the beautiful weather Norfolk offers. Humans know intuitively that being outside makes them feel good. This intuition has a long history, going back at least 2,500 years to Cyrus the Great, who built gardens in the capital of Persia for relaxation. Now science is providing hard evidence that supports the intuition.

It all began in the early 1980s, when a doctor in England noticed that some patients on a surgery ward recovered more quickly than others for no apparent reason and wondered why. About half the patients on the ward consistently were being released a day earlier than the other half. He identified over time that those being released earlier recuperated in a wing where rooms overlooked a garden with trees, while the others had a view of buildings and walls. Building on neuroscience and psychology, scientists have been studying the effects of nature on human health ever since.

In Japan, traditional shinrin yoku, or forest bathing, has long been a pastime linked to national health. But spending hours in Great Mountain Forest or hiking the Appalachian Trail, while ideal, may not be necessary to get the benefits nature offers. Recent studies in the United States, Japan, Finland, The Netherlands, England, China, Scotland and other countries around the world confirm that there are numerous positive effects on human health by being outdoors, or just looking at greenery, and that even small breaks outside can make a difference.

These research results are stunning. After measuring stress hormones, heart rates, brain waves, protein markers, and eyesight, scientists have found that the positive effects include improved cognitive functions, better focus and creativity in problem-solving, lower blood pressure, fewer incidents of heart disease, diabetes, and asthma, better overall physical strength and, in children, decreased nearsightedness. Sleep cycles are better regulated by sunlight. And since it is hard to get outside and not move, positive effects on obesity have also been measured.

What causes this positive response is more difficult to tell. Is it the fresh air? Do certain colors or shapes outside trigger neurochemicals in our brains? At first, researchers suspected that those who lived near green spaces such as Norfolk offers simply got out and exercised more. But study after study showed that even those who did not take advantage of green space benefited by be nearing it.

Researchers now suspect that the benefit is primarily connected to lowering stress. Compared with the people in the hospital who had lousy window views, those who saw trees and grass likely recovered faster because short doses of nature—or even pictures of the natural world—can calm people down and sharpen their performance. Many researchers think the visual elements in natural environments—trees, greenery, bodies of water—reduce mental fatigue. They require involuntary attention, fascinating the brain without being too demanding, allowing a “soft focus” that gives the brain a chance to rest and wander. That benefit carries over when coming indoors.

This view is borne out in several studies finding that a 50-minute walk in an arboretum improved executive attention skills, such as short-term memory, while walking along a city street did not. It was the images that made the difference. In addition, a study of 100,000 residents living near green spaces showed that the mortality rate was 12% lower for those residents; another of 31,000 residents showed that those living on blocks with trees showed lower incidences of fifteen diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and asthma.

With children playing more and more video games and playing on computers, nearsightedness is on the rise. Studies show that children who spend more time playing the same sports outside rather than indoors significantly reduce their risk of becoming nearsighted. Dim indoor lighting makes it harder for young eyes to focus on an image. This causes the eye to change shape to see clearly. Bright outdoor sunlight keeps kids’ eyes from working harder than necessary.

What will relieve stress, strengthen immunity, sharpen mental focus, calm your mind, improve vision, improve sleep habits, encourage longevity, get you moving, make you happy, and perhaps even promote a sense of wonder? Stepping outside. And Norfolk has the beautiful, green open spaces just right for doing so—more evidence that living in this town is good for your health.

Photo, top, by Bruce Frisch: Students from New York City visit Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk.