9 Steps to Getting the Benefits of Nature in our Homes - A summary of Biophilia by Sally Coulthard
G’day all,
We have reached the end of the book Biophilia by Sally Coulthard so let’s recap.
Studies have found that time in natural surrounds is associated with[i]
Reduced anger,
Reduced fatigue,
Reduced sadness,[ii]
Improved short-term memory,
Improved cognitive control, and [iii]
Improved energy[iv]
Biophilia, or more specifically Biophilic Design, looks to incorporate the benefits of being in nature into our homes and workpaces to help.
Here are some 9-steps Coulthard suggests to do this.
1. Install indoor plants
Indoor plants help to
Filter our air,
Reduce allergies,
Improve our mood,
Reduce our stress, and
Improve our concentration.
2. Use colours to influence our moods, thoughs and behaviours
Using natural colours to mimic the natural world and splashes of bright colours can help bring nature into our homes and workplaces.
3. Use patterns found in nature to help calm us
The use of glimpses of nature, fractals, curves and broken symmetry can help us to feel calmer and more comfortable in our living spaces.
4. Get more natural light
Get more natural light during the day to help our natural body clocks and boost mood during the day by using
Windows,
Skylights,
Internal courtyards,
Lighter walls and floors,
Mirrors,
Sitting next to windows,
Having lunch outside or
Exercising outdoors.
Additionally, using fire, starlight and moonlight to help calm us at night and make us feel safe and comfortable.
5. Get more fresh air
Fresh air can be beneficial to our health but hard to get in the city. However we can bring more fresh air indoors by
Reducing and removing pollutants
Ventilating using doors, windows, or mechanical systems.
Cleaning our air using filters, purifiers and air filtering plants.
6. Include views of nature
Views of nature, even briefly can help us
Feel more positive,
Reduce tension,
Feel more revitalised,
Increase energy, and
Decrease anger and depression.
We can include these in our homes using
Indoor-outdoor connections,
Indoors plants, and
Pictures of nature.
7. Getting into Nature
One step above views of nature is actually getting into nature.
Research has found that time in nature and walking in nature can
Reduce the chance of depression,
Reduce the chance of high blood pressure,
Improve mood,
Improve attention, and
Relax at night.
So why not get out into nature and reap the benefits.
8. Using the power of water
Water has been found to be associated with
Reduced stress,
Improved concentration,
Reduced heart rate, and
Improved memory.
We can include water into our homes and workplaces using
Rainwater showers,
Outdoors tubs/baths,
Rainchains,
Photos/images/wallpaper of water, and
Glass.
9. Using the power of sound
Natural sounds have been found to result in a shift toward the rest and digest system (our rest and digest system).[v]
Getting more natural sounds (and less urban noise) can be done by
Encouraging more green spaces in our cities,
Using sound insulation and quieter appliances,
Create places for quiet work,
Using water features,
Allowing breezes in,
Turning off our tech,
Using ear plugs/noise-cancellign headphones, or
Going to quiet places like parks.
[i] NOTE: Coulthard outlines other benefits (including reduced blood pressure and cortisol levels) but on reading the literature, we have found that these are not necessarily supported by the evidence and thus have not been included.
[ii] Bowler, D. (2010). The importance of nature for health: is there a specific benefit of contact with green space?. Systematic review-collaboration for environmental evidence, (40).
[iii] Berman, Marc & Jonides, John & Kaplan, Stephen. (2009). The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature. Psychological science. 19. 1207-12. 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x.
[iv] Bowler, D.E., Buyung-Ali, L.M., Knight, T.M. et al. A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health 10, 456 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-456
[v] Van Praag et al. (2017)
Stress response theory which proposes that chronic stress results in our fight or flight system (sympathetic nervous system) being activated resulting is several health problems.[i]
Natural sounds have been found to result in a shift toward the rest and digest system (our rest and digest system).[ii] SRT proposes this is because we have evolved in natural environments.[iii]
However, in our city lives we are surrounded by
phones,
planes,
traffic noise and
building works.
This can result in
annoyance,
changes in social behaviour,
difficulty thinking and
sleep disturbances.[iv]
So what can we do about it?
As you can imagine, biophilia has a few suggestion on how to deal with the issues of city noise.
This first suggests is to encourage more green spaces in our cities such as
National parks,
Conservation areas,
Wildlife sanctuaries, and
Urban farms.
Closer to home, we can change our houses and workplaces.
At home we can use,
Quieter appliances,
Sound insulation, and
Double glazing.
At the office we can,
Create a balance between open office areas and refuge areas for quiet work.
We can also introduce natural sounds by
Using water features for the sound of water and to attract wildlife such as birds and insects,
Allowing breezes to flow though creating the rustling of leaves.
Lastly, we can reduce our individual exposure by
Tuning off our tech,
Using ear-plugs/noise-cancelling headphones,
Going to quiet places like parks.
Conclusion
Living in the city can have us surround by constant noise which can affect our health. By creating quiet spaces, introducing natural sounds and turning off our tech, we can help to reduce these adverse affects and feel less stressed.
[i] Van Praag, C. D. G., Garfinkel, S. N., Sparasci, O., Mees, A., Philippides, A. O., Ware, M., ... & Critchley, H. D. (2017). Mind-wandering and alterations to default mode network connectivity when listening to naturalistic versus artificial sounds. Scientific reports, 7(1), 1-12.
[ii] Van Praag et al. (2017)
[iii] Van Praag et al. (2017)
[iv] Stansfeld, S. A., & Matheson, M. P. (2003). Noise pollution: non-auditory effects on health. British medical bulletin, 68(1), 243-257.
Photo by alexeys/iStock / Getty Images