The next time you get a headache or feel throbbing from a bruised knee, you might want to grab your phone and watch some baby deer on YouTube. A newly published scientific study is showing that watching scenes of nature can reduce a person’s experience of pain.
Researchers from the University of Vienna and University of Exeter believe this discovery could be a cornerstone in finding new ways to treat and manage pain without relying on oral or intravenous medication. The results also serve as an additional call to protect our environment and wildlife.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
“The fact that this pain-relieving effect can be achieved through a virtual nature exposure which is easy to administer has important practical implications for non-drug treatments, and opens new avenues for research to better understand how nature impacts our minds,” said co-author Alex Smalley at the study’s release. “But we hope our results also serve as renewed evidence for the importance of protecting healthy and functioning natural environments, encouraging people to spend time in nature for the benefit of both the planet and people.”
The study consisted of the scientists monitoring the brain activity of 49 Austrian participants as they received small yet painful electric shocks while watching various videos. When shown nature videos, not only did the participants self-report that they felt less pain but the brain scans showed that their brains were actually processing the pain differently, too. While there have been several subjective and anecdotal reports of nature exposure helping a person manage pain or an illness, there hasn’t been any hard proof of a connection until now.
“Our study is the first to provide evidence from brain scans that this isn’t just a placebo effect—driven by people’s beliefs and expectations that nature is good for them—instead, the brain is reacting less to information about where the pain is coming from and how intense it feels,” said lead author of the study, Max Steininger. “Our findings suggest that the pain-relieving effect of nature is genuine.”
Even prior to this study, going outdoors and experiencing natural settings are linked to several health benefits. The American Psychological Association states that exposure to nature, even just as simple as having a few plants or a garden near your apartment building, can improve a person’s attention span, memory, and cognitive flexibility. The National Library of Medicine found that exposure to “green spaces” led to lower stress and better sleep. Access and exposure to wider green spaces, such as parks, allow people to get more exercise and thus better physical health since it invites people to play and be more active.
- YouTubeyoutu.be
If you live in a concrete jungle, it might be worthwhile to get a plant or two into your home, maybe discuss planting a community garden, and make regular visits to the nearest nature park. While one can argue that you can just watch videos of nature for this particular pain relief benefit, doing such actions will ensure that actual nature spaces will be retained and preserved for in-person enjoyment and future videos to come.
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