September 11, 2020

Biophilia + Stress

Biophilia - Stress Talking Points

People are confronted by pressures that significantly impact our lives and contribute to stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue, which can lead people to be aggressive, intolerant, unproductive, dissatisfied and unhealthy. Natural environments can play a central rolein reducing these effects. Research shows that whether wandering through a forest or a private garden, stress is decreased and beneficial existential contemplation is increased.

Keywords

Stress, nature, discord, plants, recovery, fatigue, healing environment, healing gardens

Proximity to Plants

• Viewing real or artificial nature can be related to perceived attractiveness and satisfaction with space and lower levels of stress (Dijkstra 2008)

Healing Gardens and Stress

• Patrons of hospital healing gardens unanimously showed lower distress than they did within the hospital (Sherman 2005)
• The largest percentage of garden users were families; staff used the garden for coffee or lunch breaks; on rare occasions, staff brought patients to the garden; special events such as a bimonthly celebration of life for bereaved parents, memorial services for staff, and news conferences, occurred in the garden. (Whitehouse 2003)

Recovery, Restoration, Reflection

• Different body system’s recuperation after stress was faster and more complete when subjects were exposed to natural settings (e.g. parks, gardens, wilderness), rather than urban environments (e.g. along a pedestrian mall or down a busy street). (Grinde 2009)
• Urban dwelling individuals typically have limited access to nature, and lower quality of the nature experiences they do access. Ineffective restoration may undermine health through chronic arousal, immune suppression, and other aspects of stress. (Van den Berg 2007)
• Restorative experiences have the following properties. (Kaplan 1992)

• Being “Away”. Being in a unique green setting is conducive for mind refocus. Natural environments in the urban context that are easily accessible offer an important resource
• Extent. Reliant on “scope” and “connectedness”. Scope: environment is large enough to circulate through. Connectedness: the various parts of the environment are perceived as belonging to a larger whole
• Fascination. People are fascinated by solving puzzles, by making predictions, by challenges. Fascination is attractive but also functions without directed attention
• Compatibility. The compatibility among the environment, the individual, and the actions required by the environment. This relationship is effortless, intuitive, and deeply restorative

• When in nature, many enter a reflective mode, considering their lives and priorities, and consider ways to maintain their contact with that significant environment. (Kaplan 1992)

Key References

Biophilia References