Few times in history has life been as wholly disrupted as it has been with the appearance of the novel coronavirus. More than 90 percent of Americans have, at some point in the last six months, been under some version of a stay-at-home order, forcing drastic changes to our shared life experience. With most of our human and environmental interaction happening only through computer screens, it’s no wonder that more than 80% of Americans feel the pandemic is having a negative impact on their mental health (America’s Mental Health COVID-19 Pulse Study). At the top of the list are increased anxiety, insomnia, depression, and loneliness. 

With no end to the global health crisis in sight, we may feel that there is little we can do to reverse this declining mental health trend. And there is no substitute for professional mental health care. But what if there is something we can do, in our own micro-environments, to lift our spirits? Turns out, access to nature – even nature brought into our own homes – can go a long way toward enhancing our health and well-being. The phenomenon is called Biophilia, and is defined as the deep-seated need for humans to connect with nature.

It is well documented that human spaces over time, even very urban spaces, have evolved to include some elements of nature. These human-nature relationships may include plant life, bodies of water, or even animal species within the built environment (Biophilic Design Patterns). Connecting to nature in this way has been shown to reduce stress and have a positive influence on mood and self-esteem – perhaps providing a counter-measure to our increased anxiety during the age of COVID-19. But this doesn’t mean you have to invest two month’s salary and the next six months converting your guest bathroom into a tropical bird habitat. While research recognizes that exposure to real nature provides the most positive impact, there are similar benefits to viewing simulated nature scenes. 

“Simulated” nature, i.e. photographs, tend to be more effective in stress reduction than images of urban settings. Outdoor imagery stimulates a larger portion of the visual cortex, and trigger more pleasure receptors in the brain (Biophilic Design Patterns). This can lead to a release of the chemical dopamine, which has been shown to increase feelings of well-being and happiness, as well as improve sleep, motivation and learning. Images of natural scenes also hold interest for longer, increasing the odds that the viewer will experience benefit. In particular, spaces with no windows can be largely enhanced by photographs of outdoor images, since there is no opportunity for exposure to real natural scenery. Photos have the added benefit of being portable (you can move them to any room of the house in which you spend time) and biodiverse (you can have multiple photos depicting images to spark creativity, instill fascination, or calm the mind). You can even try swapping out the images periodically, to keep your stimuli fresh and captivating.

Natural Phocus has developed some suggestions of biodiverse packages that may help you maintain a healthier life experience through a connection with nature, even while facing limited access to beloved outdoor spaces. Consider adding these images to your new home office or any room that may now double as a sanctuary.