According to a study
How it affects your psyche when there is a tree in front of your window
© Anna Kutukova / Adobe Stock
It is well known that walking in nature is good for your health. But as a new study shows, even just seeing a tree from your window can have a big impact.
Many people spend a large part of their day indoors. At home, in the office, in the supermarket, in the gym – there is hardly any time for a long walk in nature. With lush green landscapes, it is of course more difficult anyway, let’s look at big cities. Several studies have already shown what a decisive positive effect Effect nature can have on us, especially our mental health.
So-called “forest bathing” has now even become established as a type of therapy to consciously use the power of the environment and alleviate symptoms of illness. But what if there is no forest nearby?
Study shows: Even a tree in front of the window has a positive effect
In one US study In this case, the aim was to investigate whether simply looking at a tree from a window could have positive health effects. To do this, the researchers divided the test subjects into three groups:
- The green group focused on nature
- The grey group focused on buildings
- The mixed group did both
In their groups, the participants took guided walks with ten landmarks, where they then found green trees or gray buildings. Eye tracking was used to record where the participants’ gazes went. In addition, three factors were asked before and after the walk: mood, feeling of anxiety and level of recovery.
Remarkable effects on the psyche
Whitney Fleming, environmental psychologist at the University of Bangor, Wales, sums up: “Being in nature is beneficial for mental health. But our study shows that you don’t actually have to be in nature to have this effect. Just looking at nature, even in the middle of the city, can increase well-being.”
Even a single tree in front of the window is said to have positive effects on the psyche: inner restlessness is said to decrease, fear is alleviated and well-being is improved.
Whitney Fleming’s advice to city planners is: “If cities make an effort to create more natural spaces, i.e. encourage visual engagement with nature, then this should measurably reduce the psychological stress of living in the city.” And for us, she has this advice: “Spend more time looking at trees and flowers, it can make a big difference in your life.”