If you’re feeling a little down on yourself, then heading outside for some fresh air really could be the perfect solution. Because new research has shown that nature can have a powerful effect on body image.
And the best bit if you’d rather hibernate during this cold weather? Researchers say you don’t even need to step outside to experience the benefits…
Three studies by scientists at Angela Ruskin University, Malaysia’s Perdana University and University College London showed that simply looking at images of natural environments can help boost body image.
Meanwhile, two further studies by the same team showed that spending time outside in nature resulted in ‘significantly higher body appreciation’.
While previous research has shown that nature can benefit both your physical and mental health, these new studies – published together in the journal Body Image – indicate that it can also have an important effect on body image, including a greater respect for the body and a rejection of rigid ideals about appearance.
Lead author Professor Viren Swamia said in a release: ‘There are several reasons why exposure to nature could be having this effect on positive body image. It might be that it distances people, physically and mentally, from appearance-focused situations that are one of the causes of negative body image.
‘It is also possible that exposure to environments with depth and complexity restricts negative appearance-related thoughts. More specifically, natural environments effortlessly hold your attention – a process known as “soft fascination”. This is often accompanied by feelings of pleasure, such as when you are drawn to the sight of a setting sun.
He continued: ‘An environment that does not require undivided attention may provide people with cognitive quiet, which in turn may foster self-compassion, such as respecting your body and appreciating it is part of a wider ecosystem requiring protection and care.
‘Access to nature may also mean that individuals spend more time outdoors engaging in activities that focus attention on the body’s functionality rather than aesthetics.’
Excuse us, we’re just going to head out for a country walk…
