The study of environmental neuroscience looks into how the environment around us impacts our behavior and mental health. This could involve everything from the design of our homes and workplaces to the noise and pollution in our cities. Environmental psychologists strive to understand how our physical environment affects our cognitive and emotional well-being. In recent years, there has been evidence showing how the environment has a significant impact on our brain development and mental health. On a similar note, environmental neuroscience aims to specify and manipulate how different environments affect organisms on large spatial scales (the organization of a city) to small spatial scales (the amount of perceived fractalness in the environment), and from long temporal scales (a human life span) to short temporal scales (exposures on the order of seconds). Marc G. Berman, a researcher who studied the effects a natural setting had on people compared to an urban setting found interesting results with how the different environments had an influence on working memory (M. Berman et al. 2019). Those who had the nature walk were able to perform better in working memory tasks than those who hadn’t, which heightened a societal focus on greenspace.
Greenspace is a designated area of land where vegetation and other green infrastructure are encouraged to grow and flourish. This can include parks, gardens, nature reserves, and other areas where people can enjoy time outdoors in nature, similar to the experience of the participants mentioned in Berman’s study. Greenspace has a number of benefits for the developing human brain, which is something Berman noted in their presentation. However other studies have shown how exposure to nature can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase attention span. On another note, time spent in greenspace allows increased levels of physical activity, which is an important factor, especially in brain development. The benefits of greenspace extend beyond just the individual though. In cities, greenspace can help to improve air quality, reduce noise pollution, and provide a sense of community (Nieuwenhuijsen, 2021). For society as a whole, investing in greenspace is a crucial step in creating a sustainable future, especially in developing children's mental health.
One study found a strong correlation between the amount of greenspace a child is exposed to during their childhood and their risk of developing a psychiatric disorder later in life. Specifically, it found that the risk of developing a psychiatric disorder was 15-55% higher for those who had the lowest exposure to greenspace compared to those with the highest exposure (Engemann, 2019). This simply demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of greenspace not only for reducing psychological disorders but also in working memory, referring back to
Berman’s study. This simply shows us a stronger emphasis on the importance and potential improvement. Discussing possible mechanisms which could explain the link between greenspace and mental health, including the role of greenspace in reducing stress, the positive impact of green space on brain structure, and the role of green space in providing a restorative environment, all aid in the overarching study of environmental neuroscience.
CITATIONS
Berman, Marc G., et al. “Environmental Neuroscience.” The American Psychologist, vol. 74, no. 9, 2019, pp. 1039–52, https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000583.
Engemann, Kristine, et al. “Residential Green Space in Childhood Is Associated with Lower Risk of Psychiatric Disorders from Adolescence into Adulthood.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, vol. 116, no. 11, 2019, pp. 5188–93, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1807504116.
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J. “Why More Green Space Is Essential for Cities - Blog.” Barcelona Institute for Global Health, 28 Oct. 2021, https://www.isglobal.org/en/healthisglobal/-/custom-blog-portlet/why-more-green-space-i s-essential-for-cities/4735173/0#:~:text=Green%20space%20is%20associated%20with,t he%20elderly%2C%20and%20healthier%20babies.
No comments:
Post a Comment