Now that the trees are in bloom and the weather seems to be warming up for good, the arboretum is once again the best study spot on campus.
The few students who take advantage of this sanctuary know how conducive it is to both focus and relaxation. The rest of us are missing out. Here are four reasons to wake up and smell the roses … and azaleas, trilliums and rhododendrons.
- Outdoor activity reduces stress. A recent study on a Japanese practice called “Shinrin-yoku,” or forest-bathing, was published in the journal Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. In it, subjects were divided into two groups, both of which engaged in the same activities.
The study indicated that walking through wooded areas decreases cortisol levels, indicating lowered stress. Another study put subjects through a series of stressful math tests, and then placed them in front of either a window overlooking a grassy lawn, a TV showing a live video feed of that lawn or a blank wall. Those placed in front of the window experienced the quickest decrease in heart rate.
- Time spent in nature improves concentration. Researchers have shown that time outside in green settings may be an effective treatment for children with ADHD.
These findings extend to people without ADHD but with inattention symptoms similar to those with the condition. One psychologist suggests that prolonged focus, requiring the rejection of external stimuli, can bring about these symptoms.
Especially given our long “cram sessions” and exams, UNC students are not immune to “attention fatigue,” and can certainly benefit from the attention-restorative properties of nature.
- Hanging out with plant life is good for your immune system. Studies have shown a link between being outdoors and increased white blood cells and cancer-fighting cells in the body. Considering also the well-established correlation between stress and illness, greenery’s relaxing effects seem themselves to be a powerful immune system boost.
- Being outdoors makes you happier. Research published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology last year found that natural outings promote energy and vitality. Another study indicates that simply viewing green settings makes people feel “more hopeful about the future” and improves their coping skills.
