Living in Green
Greens are attractive eye catchers! To be precise they are naturally occurring scenic beauty comforters that sooth our mind; and no matter how much our newly acquired lifestyle mesmerizes us, the connectivity we experience with the natural creation is inexplicable.
To speak in terms of science, research on longer healthy lives imposes health improvement in people associated with vegetation or greens near their homes; which is quiet a worthy thought in our dooming lifestyle scenario, where a mere preventive healthcare checkup takes a back seat!
Man and nature – the inseparable!
An inseparable connection between human and nature comes from a very long route of evolution. Nature and diversity own mysterious ways to attract us, quiet emphatically speaking the rich diversity of shapes, colors and life that dwells on earth that are universally appreciated.
There were times when people lived in close contact with nature experiencing spiritual admiration along with widespread affiliation towards natural phenomena. However, divergence from nature occurred with parallel development of technological era bringing about fundamental changes in human interaction with nature.
Nature is the ultimate Nurture
Research has gone to an extent where links between mental health and aesthetics of nature expresses our dependence on green spaces. Studies by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) also talk about women living longer if surrounded by greenness near homes, lowering their death rate up to 12% as compared to women with lowest levels of vegetation near homes.
Greens – their effect on body and mind
Most of us are oblivious to the influence colors have on activities and responses in our day-to-day life. Such is the profundity of colors that harmonises the body, mind and emotions; maintaining the balance between them; and naturally speaking green is the color of balance, considered as the restful color to human eyes needing least adjustment for perseverance.
The color not only boosts self-esteem and provides motivation, but also spreads a positive effect on physical as well as mental being. Enriching health through green exercise(physical exercise in natural environment), alleviating stress, promoting optimism are just the add-ons of this color, expressing longevity in humans.
Psychological studies aid in understanding human behavior making them the trending studies of the age. Use of colors as the powerful tool has opened the knowledge gates of greens and their effect on mind and body, some physiological effects include
- Green color stimulates activity of pituitary gland
- Induces increase in histamine levels thereby helping in dilatation of blood vessels
- Relaxes the muscles
- Helps in deeper and slow breathing facilitating increased oxygenation
- Good for the heart
- Has a positive effect on blood pressure
- Aids in faster healing of the wounds
Pablo Picasso put it aptly, ‘Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.’ We cannot deny nature’s role being an essential factor for survival; and Biophilia, a suggested hypothesis by the American biologist Edward O. Wilson, proves to be a popularized truthful fact, wherein human bonding with living aspects of nature is propounded. Also, the more people are outdoorsy and nature loving, the lesser stress they inflict on themselves; need not talk much about the improved mental health, well being for children and young adults, along with reduced violence and aggression etc., just with an increased area of green spaces in the vicinity!
It is high time we accept our connection with environment, there is a reason why aesthetics are given importance in today’s lifestyle. That soothing patch of green in the crazy hectic life we live in will only help us breathe better; because ultimately it is these green spaces that oxygenate the surroundings!
