Natural Environment Benefits Mental Health

Zi-Heng Wei (魏子恒 )5-year program, Naval Clinical Medicine

 

Insomnia

Story of my friend

Mental illness ranks in burden of disease

------China/declaration of world mental health organization seminar for mental health

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical UniversityMy suggestions

Keep a plant

Stay in green space before class

CONTENTS

𝟏𝒔𝒕

Main theories

𝟐𝒏𝒅

Study analysis

𝟑𝒓𝒅

Survey of college students

𝟒𝒕𝒉

Practical suggestions

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

Main theories

Stress Reduction

Focus Attention

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

1. Ulrich RS. Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. In: Altman I, Wohlwill JF, editors. Behavior and the natural environment, vol. 6. New York: Plenum Press; 1983. p. 85–125.

2. Kaplan R, Kaplan S. The experience of nature. A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press; 1989.

Main theories

Prevent

illnessespsychological processes

such as stress

cure

Keep body

healthy

Activate body

functiondiseases

like burn-out and depression

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

Public Health. 2007 Jan;121(1):54-63. Epub 2006 Oct 20.

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical UniversityStudy analysis

NO.1

NO.2

NO.3

Acute emotions

Risk of some diseases

Stress

Staying in forests Forest environmentsForest environments

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

Scientifically-proven benefits include:

Study analysis

Immune system

NK cells

Recovery from surgery or illness

Ability to focus

Sleep

Mood

Blood Pressure

Stress-related diseases

Stress

Interacting with Nature Improves Cognition and Affect for Individuals with Depression

J Affect Disord. 2012 Nov; 140(3): 300–305.

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical UniversityStudy analysis

After the nature walk

Memory span

Mood

Separable mechanis

ms

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical UniversityStudy analysis

Different personalityMood-state Concentration

Performance Physiology

Nature and children第 二 军 医 大 学

Second Military Medical University

A Potential Natural Treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence From a National Study

Am J Public Health. 2004 September; 94(9): 1580–1586.

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

Performing activities in green settings can reduce the symptoms of AD/HD in children, across a wide range of individual, residential, and case characteristics.

Performing activities in green settings can reduce the symptoms of AD/HD in children, across a wide range of individual, residential, and case characteristics.

How about college students?

?

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

Cognition

2

Curiosity

3

4

5

Action

Demand

Obstacle

1

Questionnaire

Question 2 Question 1

Do you have any similar experience, observing a plant, a kind of insects, or listening to the birdsong in a trance? How much time do you spend on the

smartphone or tablet in each day?

Survey results:

Hold correct understanding

Show a strong curiosity

Relatively lack action

描述统计量

N 极小值 极大值 均值 标准差总分 191 30 63 46.47 5.824

有效的 N （列表状态） 191

Demand第 二 军 医 大 学

Second Military Medical University

how much time is spent on outdoor activities in each day?

Series10 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

96

160

91

54

76What’s the obstacle between you and nature?

Obstacle第 二 军 医 大 学

Second Military Medical University

No suitable place

Study/ tests occupied too much time

High-tech productions occupied my time

I am afraid of environmental pollution

I didn't realize the importance of nature

56% are satisfied with natural environment

surrounding their college

Not as anxious as middle school

students

Nor stressed-out for

graduation and employment

Analysis 第 二 军 医 大 学

Second Military Medical University

01They are in a Relaxing and Free environment.

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical UniversityAnalysis

02

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical UniversityBack to the story

Emerson’s words

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

Feel the beauty of the earth

Get the power of life

References 第 二 军 医 大 学

Second Military Medical University

1. Nilsson K, Baines C, Konijnendijk CC, editors. Final report of the COST Strategic Workshop on Health and the Natural Outdoors. Larnaca Cyprus, 19–21 April, 2007.

2. 中国 -世界精神卫生组织精神卫生高层研讨会宣言 [J]．中国心理卫生杂志， 2000， (1)： 33. Eeva Karjalainen, Tytti Sarjala, and Hannu Raitio, editors. Promoting human health through forests: overview and

major challenges. Environ Health Prev Med. 2010 Jan; 15(1): 1–8.4. Ulrich RS. Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. In: Altman I, Wohlwill JF, editors. Behavior and

the natural environment, vol. 6. New York: Plenum Press; 1983. p. 85–125. 5. Kaplan R, Kaplan S. The experience of nature. A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press; 1989.6. Irvine KN, Warber SL. Greening healthcare: practicing as if the natural environment really mattered. Altern Ther

Health Med. 2002;8:76–83. 7. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. State of the world's forests 2003. Food and Agriculture

Organization of the United Nations, Rome (2003)8. E. Morita, et al. Psychological effects of forest environments on healthy adults: Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing,

walking) as a possible method of stress reduction. Public Health, Volume 121, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 54–639.9. Marc G. Berman, et al. Interacting with Nature Improves Cognition and Affect for Individuals with Depression.

J Affect Disord. 2012 Nov; 140(3): 300–305. 10. Kuo FE, Taylor AF. A potential natural treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: evidence from a national

study. Am J Public Health. 2004 Sep; 94(9):1580-6.

Acknowledgements

Teachers from the Foreign Language Department

第 二 军 医 大 学Second Military Medical University

Classmates who helped me with the questionnaire

THANKS

Zi-Heng Wei ( 魏子恒 )Naval Clinical Medicine, SMMUE-mail: 347670172@qq.comTel: 18615519566