NATURE MAKES US KINDER

We all could stand to be more kind. And we all could use more kindness bestowed upon us. And while we could all learn about, focus upon, and discipline ourselves to practice more kindness, there is one very simple, very beautiful thing we could do to make ourselves kinder human beings: Connect with nature!

Numerous recent scientific studies have shown that exposure to nature makes us kinder!

Various experiments conducted by exposing people to natural environments, or to images or videos of scenes in nature, showed an increase their willingness to be generous, trusting, and helpful toward others.

However, people are spending less time outdoors and less time immersed in nature than ever before. This appears to correlate with our higher levels of stress and reduced expressions of kindness. In his book, “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder,” environmental writer Richard Louv talks about a sense of disconnection from nature and its powers.

While writers, from Henry David Thoreau to John Muir, photographers from Ansel Adams to, Beth Moon, and as well as many other artists, have long extolled the virtues of nature as inspiration and as a mood enhancer, it’s fascinating to find out that these effects are real.

In our story about Forest Bathing, we reference studies that show that spending time near trees improves our mental and physical health. The studies we cite below take it even further, offering measurable evidence that nature improves our capacity for kindness.

Researchers are finding evidence that nature impacts our brain chemistry and nervous system impulses.

A walk in the woods, a sit by a lake, a breath of ocean air, a picnic in a meadow -- being in nature has a profound impact on how we feel and how we function. Studies have found that when humans spend time in nature, they exhibit significant reductions in anxiety, ruminations, and stress. They also experience increased creativity and increased ability to connect with other people. And all of these positive conditions enable and inspire people to be kinder.

This recent study showed that people who took walks in the forest had lower blood pressures and heart rates and they reported lower stress and better moods than those who took the same length of walks through the city streets.

And, if you can’t get to the forest, a mere 20 minute walk through a city park will do the trick, according to this recent Finnish study. And if even that is too much to do, you can feel better just by looking out the window at nature.

This study monitored people’s brains with mobile electroencephalograms (EEG) as they walked through a city park. EEG readings indicated lower levels of frustration and agitation and increased levels of calm.

This series of experiments studied the impact of nature on the willingness to be generous, trusting, and helpful toward others. Subjects were observed as they played two games: the Dictator Game and the Trust Game, both before and after they were exposed to beautiful nature scenes. They were found to act more generously and with more trust in the games after exposure to nature.

This study measured a group of participants who watched the gorgeous Planet Earth documentary, another group that viewed a news program, and another group who watch a funny excerpt of Walk on the Wild Side. Those who watched nature scenes in Planet Earth reported 46% more feelings of awe and 31% more feelings of gratitude than those in the other groups. These feelings inspire kindness.

Frances Kuo and William Sullivan, researchers at University of Illinois, found that trees may lower crime and improve residents’ mental health as well. Their study subjects who lived near parks showed lower incidence of ADHD, greater calm, stronger sense of community, and more civility.  

Viewing nature shifts our sense of self, reducing the boundaries between ourselves and others, according to this study. Participants who watch nature videos reported feeling less entitled and less self-important.

Read more about Beautiful Kindness in 10 Gifts of Kindness To Give Now, 10 Beautiful Thought About Kindness, Hearts & Homes For Pets In Need and Celebrate World Kindness Day (Today & Every Day).

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

Want more stories like this? Sign up for our weekly BN Newsletter, Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr. Join our BeautifulNow Community and connect with the most beautiful things happening in the world right now!

Do you have amazing photos? Enter them in this week’s BN Photo Contest. 

Plus check out the rest of our App’s beautiful features. It’s free to download here.

IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Stanley Zimny. “Morning Autumn Mist.”
2. Image: by Britta Rogge. “Forest.” Poland.
3. Image: by Joseph. “Forest.” Juneau, Alaska.
4. Image: by Mariano Mantel. “Multnomah Falls.” Multnomah, Oregon.
5. Image: by Stanley Zimny. “Pond Rocks.”
6. Image: by Tony Grover. “Proxy Falls.” Courtesy of Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Proxy Falls. Oregon.
7. Image: by lleenie. “Fall in Maryland. Maryland.
8. Image: “Fall view from West Hwy 26 - 215C.” Courtesy of Mt. Hood Territory. Mt. Hood, Oregon.
9. Image: by Joshua Mayer. “Forest.” Memorial Grove Hemlocks State Natural Area. Wisconsin.
10. Image: by Jennifer C. “Forest.” British Columbia.
11. Image: by David Strom. “Forest.”
12. Image: by Elke Mader. “Mossy.” Salzburg, Austria.
13. Image: by BN App - Download now!
14. Image: by Bonnie Council. “New Hampshire Autumn.” New Hampshire.