Healthcare Design - May 2021 - 43

the center

N AT U R A L C O N N E C T I O N

The past year has renewed attention to the benefits of nature on health and well-being By Debra Levin

NE OF THE MANY THING S

that has helped keep me
sane and grounded this
past year has been religiously getting out of the
house and spending time
in nature. Thankfully, because I live in California, I
have the benefit of sunny and inviting weather
most of the year. I'm also fortunate to live in a
neighborhood connected to a 6,000-acre regional park, making it easy and convenient to
go for short walks or long hikes in the hills. I
haven't spent so much time outdoors since I
was a kid. During these times, I frequently find
myself reciting a favorite quote from biologist
and author Rachel Carson: " There is something
infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of
nature-the assurance that dawn comes after
night, and spring after winter. "
And I'm not the only one feeling these effects.
Over the last few months-as we've all spent
more time indoors and isolated from others-
I've seen more and more written in the general
press about the benefits of nature on health and
mental well-being, frequently highlighting prac-

43_HCD_0521_Center, jks ad, jks2 ad2 tw kdz.indd 43

tices from other countries where that connection is celebrated as a part of their culture. For
example, in Japan, " shinrin-yoku " or " forest
bathing, " which is a physiological and psychological practice of physically spending time in
forests, is used to help counter the daily stresses
of a fast-paced lifestyle. In Scandinavian countries, " friluftsliv, " which translates to " free, air,
and life " (or, more clearly, " outdoor lifestyle " ), is
deeply embedded in the Norwegian way of life
and credited as a reason Norway is ranked one of
the world's happiest countries.
The 2019 study " Spending 120 minutes a week
in nature is associated with good health and
wellbeing, " published in Scientific Reports, not
only validated what so many cultures innately
know but quantified exactly how much time one
needs to spend outdoors to reap the benefits.
The research, which involved 20,000 people,
found that those who spent a minimum of two
hours a week in green spaces or surrounded by
other natural elements were substantially more
likely to report good health and psychological
well-being than those who didn't.
This connection between nature and health
has long been a part of The Center for Health

Design's work. Roger Ulrich, author of the classic 1984 study on the impact of views through a
window on recovery post-surgery, was a founding member of our board. In the mid-1990s, The
Center funded the first rigorous post-occupancy
evaluation ever done of hospital gardens, conducted by Clare Cooper Marcus and Marni
Barnes, which connected the incorporation of
gardens and other landscape features in designs
to the health benefits of building users.
Integrating nature into our built environments has never been more important than it is
today. Thankfully, there is a plethora of sources
available to provide inspiration and roadmaps
for healthcare providers and designers, including in the Insights and Solutions section of The
Center's website (healthdesign.org) as well as
our Knowledge Repository.
As the weather gets nicer and the days grow
longer, treat yourself to more time outdoors. 
Debra Levin is president and CEO of The Center
for Health Design. She can be reached at D L E V I N @
H E A LT H D E S I G N . O R G .

4/13/21 2:08 PM

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Healthcare Design - May 2021

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