Study shows that children cope better with mental stress when exposed to nature
In a study by McGill University and Université de Montréal’s Observatoire, more than 500 children with mental health issues, aged 10-12, were monitored in Quebec to determine how spending time in nature affects them. The results confirm the old wives’ tale that naturopaths have known all along. Going outside is healthy.
According to the Institute of Natural Medicine, the belief that “The healing power of nature recognizes the body’s inherent ability to heal itself,” Is one of the core principles of the naturopathic approach.
And the McGill Study backs up that belief. Research indicates that children who had mental health issues, like aggression, anxiety, and depression, benefitted the most from spending two hours per week outside over three months. Teachers confirmed a calmer demeanor amongst the monitored students.
“We found that children with higher mental health symptoms at baseline showed greater reductions in symptoms following the intervention,” said Marie-Claude Geoffroy who is the senior author of the study. Geoffroy is an associate professor in the McGill Department of Psychiatry, and the Canada Research Chair in Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention at the Douglas Research Centre.
The research followed UNICEF’s report, which found that spending time outdoors benefits child development. The McGill University test participants were selected from varied economic backgrounds across Quebec.
“The intervention was low-cost, well-received, and posed no risks, making it a promising strategy for schools with access to greenspaces,” said Tianna Loose, a post-doctoral fellow at Université de Montréal and the paper’s first author.
