4 Reasons Why Urban Nature is Good for You

The evidence is clear, nature is good for you. Hundreds of research studies have shown that being in nature, living near nature, or even viewing nature in paintings and videos can have positive impacts on our physical health and mental wellbeing.

Together with our friends at Palmolive, we have launched these walks to help you get the most nature out of your city. Scroll down to learn more and to find the Swedish translation of this article.

We need the natural world for our physical survival and also for our social and personal wellbeing. Even if you live in a city there are so many ways to enjoy the benefits of the natural environment. Here’s a few ideas to help you feel naturally good by connecting with nature.

1. A walk in the park keeps you active.

Walking is fun, free and one of the easiest ways to be more active and become happier and healthier. Urban nature is a refuge. You don’t have to travel to far flung places to benefit from nature connectedness. A study by researchers at University of Porto in Portugal showed a short 30 minute walk in urban nature significantly reduced a negative mood and brought about more feelings of awe and wonder compared to a walk in the city devoid of natural elements.

2. Nature can have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Research from Berkley suggests a walk in nature that evokes awe, wonder and beauty can promote healthier levels of cytokines and can have an anti-inflammatory effect. Studies also suggest that when people spend over twenty minutes in urban nature, ‘levels of two physiological biomarkers of stress - salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase’, reduce.

3. Noticing nature boosts creativity and can reduce stress.

According to Stanford university, creative thinking improves while a person is walking and shortly thereafter. Taking a moment to stop and notice nature can bring about clinically significant improvements in mental wellbeing by reducing rumination, helping with feelings of isolation and producing a cascade of positive emotions such as increased openness, calmness, creativity and resilience.

4. Nature connectedness leads to pro-environmental behaviours.

Science shows that nature connectedness leads to pro-environmental behaviours and engaging in simple nature activities such as stopping to notice the birdsong, blueberry picking, catching fallen leaves or making a homemade bee hotel “emerged as the largest significant contributor to pro‐nature conservation behaviour.”

Now hopefully that’s inspired you to reap the rewards of nature connection. Why not connect with nature all around Stockholm on one of the amazing new routes created in partnership with Palmolive.