-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
/
Copy pathnature.html
161 lines (126 loc) · 9.68 KB
/
nature.html
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<!--Link for main page stylesheet-->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="nature.css">
<!--Favicon image-->
<link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="favicon.ico">
<!--Title of the page-->
<title> Why is nature good for you? | Kocoon</title>
<!--Navigation bar-->
<nav id="navigation">
<ul class="navbar">
<div class="left">
<!--Logo of Kocoon goes here (images/Kocoon.png)-->
<div class="left-nav-image"></div>
<a href="index.html">
<img src="images/transparentLogo.png" alt="Kocoon-image">
</a>
</div>
<div class="middle">
<!--Hamburger menu goes here (mobile and tablet) || list items (desktop and beyond)-->
<li><a href="index.html#about_us">About Us</a></li>
<li><a href="index.html#our_articles">Our Articles</a></li>
<li><a href="index.html#our_community">Our Community</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Team</a></li>
<li><a href="index.html#footer">Contact Us</a></li>
</div>
<div class="right">
<!--social media icons/links-->
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/kocoonco-op/" target="_blank">
<img src="images/linkedin-icon.png" alt="Kocoon-linkedin"></a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/koco.on/" target="_blank">
<img src="images/instagram-icon.png" alt="Kocoon-instagram"></a>
</div>
</ul>
</nav>
<!--section-1 (Landing Page)-->
<section class="section-1" id="landing_page">
<!--sub1-section1-->
<section class="sub1-section1">
<!--h2-->
<h2>
Nature
</h2>
<h3>
Why is nature good for you?
</h3>
<div>
<a href="index.html">Return To Homepage</a>
<a href="exercise-science-myth.html">Exercise Science Myth Article</a>
</div>
</section>
</section>
<!--section-2 (Article/blog)-->
<section class="section-2">
<section class="sub1-section2">
<div class="nature_image_container">
<img src="images/natuureImages/natureImage_1.jpg" alt="nature_Image1">
</div>
<p>
Sit down, open your computer and type in the words ‘nature and wellbeing’. The results will come up with a plethora of articles on how nature has an extensive list of benefits for our mental and physical health. From going on walks, to the Japanese practice of forest bathing, to just getting outside - there seems to be unanimous agreement that the natural world holds a distinct positive effect for our wellbeing. Even a few minutes in the sunshine is enough to melt away our worries and stress.
<br><br>
Interestingly, this knowledge isn’t new. We’ve known for millennia that this is the case - societies as far back as ancient Romans noticed a health benefit from the countryside and green spaces (1).
<br><br>
But why is this the case? What is it about nature that is so good for us? And can understanding what’s really going on here help us to access even more of those benefits we’re looking for?
<br><br>
There isn’t much research that digs deeper and tries to answer these questions. We are still unsure of the exact reason, and there is likely to be more than one factor involved. Let’s take a look at the some of the current theories:
<br><br>
</p>
<h3>
Survival
</h3>
<p>
A reason why natural surroundings make us feel good might be to do with how it links to our survival. Humans have been around for the last 300,000 years, but the rise of modern settlements only occurred around 6000 years ago (2), meaning that most of our evolution happened in a time when we were living outside in nature as hunter-gatherer tribes. Therefore, as we have evolved to live outside as a part of nature - not removed from it - it makes sense that we feel happier when we are in a natural environment that we are built for, and not an artificial environment.
<br><br>
This is a difficult hypothesis to test and prove, but there is some evidence that suggests it could have standing. When viewing nature scenes, FMRI scans have shown our brains lighting up in areas associated with love and empathy, while urban scenes stimulated areas of fear and anxiety (3). It could be the colours of nature that play a part in this: blue and green are calming, peaceful and pleasant colours, while the “grey of urban surroundings seem to result in feelings of aggression and dominance”. (1)
<br><br>
Or perhaps it is the simple fact of seeing other living things that makes us feel better. What could be more refreshing than seeing life? It seems intuitive that we are programmed to look out for other living things as a sign that our chances of survival are better - and we feel anxious when there is a lack of them. Thousands of years ago when we were evolving, a landscape devoid of life would certainly have been a dangerous prospect.
<br><br>
</p>
<div class="nature_image_container">
<img src="images/natuureImages/natureImage_1.jpg" alt="nature_Image1">
</div>
<h3>
Staying Present
</h3>
<p>
Being in nature helps to keep us in the here-and-now. We’re so busy watching a blackbird making its nest or the wind softly rustling through leaves that we’re not overthinking the future or the past - as we so often do in our modern society. We find lots of interesting things in the natural world to focus on, and this roots us in the present moment and gives our busy minds a respite.
<br><br>
It is called the distraction theory (or the attention restoration theory), and the idea is that our urban lives are filled with so many stimuli - phones pinging, to-do lists, screaming babies and the roar of traffic - that a break from it all helps us to feel fresher and recharged afterwards (2). There is evidence to support it; studies show that children with ADHD display better concentration skills after spending time outdoors in nature (3 & 4).
</p>
<div class="nature_image_container">
<img src="images/natuureImages/natureImage_2.jpg" alt="nature_Image2">
</div>
<h3>
Sunlight
</h3>
<p>
Our brains have higher levels of a hormone called serotonin on sunny days (regardless of temperature outdoors). Serotonin acts as your body’s mood stabiliser and boosts your mood while reducing feelings of depression and anxiety. (5) Intuitively this makes sense - sunshine makes us happy!
</p>
<div class="nature_image_container">
<img src="images/natuureImages/natureImage_3.jpg" alt="nature_Image3">
</div>
<h3>
Spirituality
</h3>
<p>
Look out across an expanse of open ocean, and most people are struck by the sheer immensity of our world. Spending time in nature is a way of putting our lives and problems into perspective. The world is truly huge, and the natural world in particular carries on regardless of whatever strife you might be facing in your life. Take the COVID-19 pandemic as an example: while millions of us struggled with lockdowns and isolation, the predictable rhythms of nature kept beating - flowers blossomed, leaves unfurled and birds fledged their nests. Rediscovering our part - albeit tiny - within this fabric of the universe often gives people who spend time in nature a feeling of belonging and being part of something.
<br><br>
If we share our experience with others it also gives us a common connection - something non-threatening to bond over. Two people, regardless of age, gender, background or social status, can both stand together and enjoy the incredible beauty of a fiery red sunset. This acts like a social glue, providing us with a perfect way to create new links and strengthen the connections between us.
</p>
<div class="nature_image_container">
<img src="images/natuureImages/natureImage_4.jpg" alt="nature_Image4">
</div>
<p>
As we come to value nature more and more, it is interesting to consider why it brings us so many benefits. It might simply be a physical reaction to factors like sunlight, or a respite from the burnout of our modern lives. Perhaps it is the place we have evolved to live in, and being back there somehow gives us a deeper sense of belonging. Whether it’s a combination of these reasons, or there is still something left for science to discover; ultimately, we can be sure that we need nature just as much as it needs us.
</p>
<br><br><a class="back-to-top-btn" href="#landing_page">Back to Top</a>
</section>
</section>
<script src="script.js"></script>
</head>
<body>