BIRDS AND STRESS

 

We all know that spending time in nature is known to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, and relieve a sense of isolation and loneliness.  The exact reasons this phenomenon happens are unclear at this point, but it’s been proven in many studies that associations with nature have these effects on us. 

Academics at the University of Exeter, the British Trust for Ornithology, and the University of Queensland did a study on the effect that just seeing BIRDS  out your window can have on one’s overall well-being.  The results showed a significant lowering of depression, anxiety, and stress in those people who interacted with birds.  It's undeniable that birds bring joy to people of all ages. 

When stress and anxiety are reduced, the heart rate returns to normal, blood pressure can be lowered and there will also be a reduction in the high levels of cortisone associated with stress.

 It can also improve cognitive functions like memory and attention and reduce stress.    (Painting:  Lisa Finch- USA)

The therapeutic qualities of nature have also been recognized in the United States, where there are now 87 programs nationally that prescribe time in nature to medical patients.

One example is Park Rx America, a non-profit organization of healthcare professionals that prescribe connections with nature as a part of treating chronic disease.Robert Zarr, a Washington, D.C., physician and founder of Park RX   is working to get other doctors and healthcare professionals on board. More than 600 have signed up to the group’s platform to make it easy for doctors to locate green spaces near patients and track how patients “fill” prescriptions, which specify an activity and a frequency.

 He envisions a similar tool embedded in electronic health-record systems one day, and in 2019 the National Institutes of Health funded a five-year research trial to test physical and mental health outcomes at the community health center where he works.

 Over time, such programs may be a boon both for people and nature, especially with recent surveys indicating that 25 percent of U.S. residents spend two or fewer hours a week outdoors. 

Researchers have found that people who listen to bird songs became more relaxed than those who listened to a meditation app.  So next time you take a walk or go hiking, be sure and listen for the birds!