Stress Management Coaching. Outdoor and Online Coaching. Oundle, Stamford, Kettering, Peterborough. Stress relief & stress relief techniques Professional Declutterer and home organisation
Stress Management Coaching. Outdoor and Online Coaching. Oundle, Stamford, Kettering, Peterborough.
Green & Blue Space Theory
What is Green or Blue Space?
Green space is defined as vegetated land and includes areas such as gardens, allotments, country parks, community gardens, woods and forests.
Blue space is defined as areas dominated by water, e.g. canals, rivers, lakes and coastal areas.
Both Green & Blue Spaces may be naturally occurring or developed, e.g. green spaces within an urban development.
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir (1848-1914)
Green and blue space has been evidenced to improve psychological wellbeing through decreasing cortisol levels, increasing general psychological wellbeing and acting as a buffer to stressful life events.
During the Covid-19 pandemic many of us found benefit from spending more time in nature whether that was in our own gardens or going for walks with the dog just to get out of the confines of the house.
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The NHS’s 'Long Term Plan' includes what is known as Green Social Prescribing (GSP). GSP is ‘the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health.’ (NHS England) GSP includes both green and blue activities.
The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP)’s evidence briefing, ‘Social Prescribing; The Natural Environment’ evidences that, ‘time in nature is linked to lower levels of heart or respiratory problems, lower blood pressure, lower levels of stress and physical symptoms of stress, lowered risk of diabetes and obesity, COVID-19 and slower cognitive decline.’
The NASP report ‘How the natural environment can support health and wellbeing through social prescribing’, also cites strong links between nature and improved psychological wellbeing. Woodland areas were evidenced to reduced blood pressure, heart rate, sympathetic activity and salivary cortisol (stress hormone) and showed increased parasympathetic activity. The report also showed that ‘Increased exposure to green space and nature was associated with slower cognitive decline, lowered risk of COVID-19, reduced risk of diabetes, reduced risk of obesity and increased physical activity. Exposure to green spaces additionally positively impacted mental health, increased mindfulness practice, perceived happiness, resilience and subjective wellbeing’. The report speaks of ‘Stress Reduction Theory’ which suggests that actual features within nature invoke subconscious reactions in us supporting our recovery from stress. 'Attention Restoration Theory' suggests that the natural world has the ability to ‘renew attention’ promoting wellness and reducing mental fatigue.
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Green & blue space theory can prevent stress from occurring in the first place
Sources:
Sources: National Academy for Social Prescribing, NHS England.
Mughal R., Seers H., Polley M., Sabey A. & Chatterjee H.J. (2022) How the natural
environment can support health and wellbeing through social prescribing. NASP.