Our five senses which facilitate our connection with nature and their way of functioning
Humanity has lived most of known history outside of cities. People were grouped in small communities and practiced activities that allowed them to spend more time in nature. At the same time, people have constantly modified their environment, to the most important reason belonging agricultural, residential or industrial purposes, and with changes accelerating over the course of millennia, centuries and, since the Industrial Revolution since mid-18th century, in terms of decades and years. Humans managed to deforest, level with bulldozers and cover with concrete many green areas, therefore reducing the natural environment in which they had lived for millennia and centuries before the increasingly rapid industrialization of modernity.
We all know those friends who want to buy a house somewhere far from the big cities. Maybe you are one of them. Many times, we ourselves are the very people who feel the need for a place to escape away from crowds, commotion and the hustle culture – but the real reason is our innate need to be close(r) to nature.
Our connection with nature means much, much more than simply physically spending time in open air, free from our racing thoughts related to everyday tasks. We humans are multisensorial beings and this yearned-for connection with nature induces a sense of “mental presence”, of “in the here and now being”, as it inadvertently leads to opening up of the senses, smell, hearing, touch, which then ignite a tremendously liberating state of emotions. It has already been proven in scientific peer-reviewed studies that practicing meditation and mindfulness exercise in nature helps us reconnect with it more easily, more deeply, thus relaxing us from the stress of urban life. The benefits – one might even add: the therapeutic benefits – of immersing oneself in nature have been grasped and understood since ancient times, when Hippocrates himself named nature “the best doctor”.
But what actually is “nature”? “Nature” can be considered anything and everything which is part of the unprocessed environment, i.e., animals, plants, waters, and to a lesser extent, the things created by man which mimic and emulate natural phenomena, such as city parks. “Nature” is this miraculous dimension of the surrounding world: the vitality of the planet itself, its energy, immortal soul and unique colors. We are commonly connected to “nature” through the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.
Further below, I am discussing the reason beyond why we feel this need for connection with nature and why it is so important for us as humans. I am exploring the ways in which nature influences us and the ways in which we can move more closely to it, even if time or place or other constraints make access to it difficult occasionally.
The benefits of time spent in nature
According to Kaplan and Kaplan’s attention restoration theory, nature provides specific stimuli due to its particular composition which make possible the recovery from attention fatigue, which happens during tasks that require long periods of focused attention. It has been asserted that this recovery occurs under the healing influence of the natural environment’s restorative qualities, giving the people pursuing the recovery, the beneficial “illusion” of being far away from their daily routine which had brought them to their breaking point, in the first place, thus making space for a “soft fascination” with natural features, which attract attention without much effort on the side of the “observer” and thus induces the deep healing of the mental mechanisms.
Similarly and complementarily, Ulrich’s ‘psycho-evolutionary’ theory suggests that nature helps reduce psycho-physiological stress through inherent, adaptive responses to features of natural surroundings like open spaces, irregular patterns or structures, and water elements. These features trigger positive emotional reactions related to safety and survival, reducing negative emotions such as anger, fatigue, and sadness. The effects on anxiety and tranquility were less consistent, showing more variation in the observed impact. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between time spent in nature and attention tests, with more time spent in nature being conducive to increased focus and concentration intensity. (1)
Therefore, by spending time in nature, we can reap such benefits as:
- Reduced stress, anxiety and an increased, spontaneously occurring regulation of emotions,
- Improved memory, attention and vision,
- Diminished release of cortisol (the “stress hormone”),
- decreased blood pressure and muscle tension,
- enhanced attention span, especially in children with ADHD.
The sensorial dimensions and how nature activates our well-being
Now, I am moving forward to analyze the transfer from the presence in and connection with nature to how the consequent activation of each of our five senses is influenced at least in part by natural elements (2, 3): vision and visual preference, touch, hearing, taste, smell.
Vision and visual preference
Some of the main elements we evaluate in a landscape are the colors and shapes compose it. Several studies have shown that looking towards green areas with blue waters and colorful plants helps restore and eliminate stress more effectively, in comparison to artificial spaces such as rooms and buildings in urban areas. For instance, well-designed hospitals have gardens and green spaces which offer pleasant natural views and therefore can reduce stress, improve patient recovery and provide an escape from the apprehensive clinical environment. Moreover, gazing at elements in the form of vegetation in gardens improves emotions, brings a state of calmness and well-being, and can lead to a diminution of negative emotions such as fear and sadness.
It seems that colors themselves are essential factors contributing to our preferences for images: for example, green and blue, which we instinctively relate to nature, produce less anxiety, while gray, overwhelmingly present in urban environments, increase feeling of aggression. Other factors that seem to influence our visual preferences are shapes, lines, color saturation which crucially determine our inclination for natural landscapes compared to the man-made variants. (4, 5)
The touch
Touch is a very powerful sense; it is formed already during our residence in our mother’s womb and accompanies our development throughout life, therefore critically impacting whether it is a healthy or not-so-healthy development. In interpersonal and more specifically romantic relationships, touch carries the expression of affection. In the context of nature, touching animals helps reduce anxiety and it has been shown that people who have household animals, are affected by lower heart rates and blood pressure, thus leading longer lives. (6, 7) Tamed animals are employed as support partners in therapies for children, the elderly and people with various ailments, resulting in the lessening of depression, cortisol levels and hypertension.
The sound
Urban pollution is a huge problem in large agglomerations; its negative effects on each of us can be observed in the increased levels of stress and mental health problems of all sorts, memory, as well as cardiovascular diseases, insomnia, constant exhaustion and burnout. (8)
But let’s turn our focus a little bit towards the importance of sound. Auditory perception is one of the main channels through which we communicate with others, as we listen to the others in conversation or while enjoying music; at the same time, it has a very important role in helping us orient ourselves in space and in protecting ourselves from dangers. Hearing introduces us to the acoustic world, from the first interactions at birth to the vibrations and sounds of multi-decibel concerts later in life. (9)
Natural sounds such as the wind blowing, running waters, birds chirping, help relax our biological systems and reduce stress, leading to the improvement of general health – in frontal contrast to the sounds released by urban environment, e.g., traffic, construction sites, industrial areas. No wonder, we often refer to such sounds as “noise” with deeply distressing effects, while natural sounds induce therapeutic effects, reducing stress and uplifting the mood as well as the cognitive performance. (10)
The taste
Like other senses, taste is essential for our survival. Instinctively, we display an innate proclivity and deeply ingrained appreciation for foods originating from nature, being able to be more fine-tuned to the quality of natural products by taste as opposed to processed products – which is, of course, directly reflected in the price of natural foods: substantially more expensive than the processed ones.
Fruits, vegetables and natural foods, in addition to providing a clearly more enjoyable taste experience in comparison to products artificially flavored and enhanced, significantly reduce the danger of depression – again, in brutal contrast to processed foods, consumers of which showcasing the risk of a higher level of anxiety. (11)
The smell
Last but not least, smell is perhaps the most important sensation in our relationship with nature, surprisingly, because it enriches our experience through the multitude of scents given by flowers, trees and grass. Various types of smells found in nature relax us, reduce stress and anxiety, which translates in the successful and far-reaching employment of essences from natural resources in aromatherapy, among many other beneficial application opportunities.
How can we connect with nature?
According to studies,
- going out when we have time, in areas with green spaces, parks, forests helps us reconnect with the friendly aka “tamed” nature. (12)
- watching the sunrise and sunset when we have the opportunity, leads to the production of “glimmers” – which are the opposite of “triggers”: while triggers are instant painful remainders of past suffering(s), glimmers are hopeful glimpses into a future of strength and self-expansion.
- savoring the present moment when we are in nature and avoiding the use of electronic means that could distract us, such as mobile phones, results in a more mindful life and enhances the self-awareness of the “in the here and now” existence.
Conclusion
Taking part in activities in nature will help us reduce stress and fatigue while improving our memory, attention and general well-being. At the same time, it supports us from a physical point of view, contributing to improving vision, increasing immunity and fortified muscle tone. Moreover, spending time in nature brings us social benefits, as group and/or family activities or gatherings among friends are more enjoyable and memorable when scheduled in natural settings.
Ultimately, it is important to note that we, in turn, can contribute to nature’s reverse expansion, by becoming self-aware of our behaviors and striving to develop pro-nature mindsets and habits, and thus engaging in proactive appreciation of its importance and dynamically promoting and develop actions able to protect and expand it.
