We all know that spending time outside is good for us – not only for our physical health, through hobbies like walking, jogging and gardening, but for our mental health. Spending time in nature can help boost our mood and lower stress levels, so much so that even just two hours a week is associated with higher reported levels of wellbeing.
But in our chronically online and fast-paced world, how many of us are actually getting outside and touching some grass? Research shows, not many of us. Only 38% of UK adults spend less than an hour per day outdoors, according to a 2023 study by Bupa, and anecdotally, most of us can agree it would be beneficial to spend more time connecting with nature than we currently do.
This is one of the reasons why Bupa is championing the connection between human and planetary health as part of its Health Stories campaign, a global movement that seeks to encourage more open and honest conversations around our physical and mental health. Its new series of films follows the stories of individuals around the world, sharing their unique health stories, and how they relate to the world around them.
In the latest film, we meet Alice Aedy, a climate campaigner and photojournalist with whom Bupa are partnering on the series, to commission content creators’ perspectives on the intersection between human and the health of the planet. Alice is not only passionate about environmentalism, but also about sharing the stories of dedicated environmentalists working to heal our planet. “I’ve always been passionate about using storytelling to get people to connect and to make people feel empathy,” Alice says. “When you get to stare into the eyes of people who are experiencing some of these [climate] crises or have dedicated their lives to tackling it, it’s so moving. All I want to do is be a champion for those people, and share their story and impart some of their wisdom.”
Alice believes that by spotlighting these stories, rather than just the negative impact of humans on the planet, mindsets can be shifted and turned into meaningful action.
Next we meet Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, a conservationist and co-founder of Cabilla Cornwall, a nature retreat in one of the UK’s only temperate rainforests. Merlin – who Alice describes as “an active part of the planetary solution, who goes against any narrative that humans are just the problem” – says that Britain’s green spaces are one of our most effective mental health resources.
“At the time of a mental health pandemic,” he explains, “these habitats are pretty much the best thing that we have for the mental health and wellbeing of the humans who spend time amongst their canopy.”
But, as Merlin explains, it’s a symbiotic relationship. “In the same way that my dog has fleas that run across its body and would not survive without the dog, we are the fleas running across planet Earth, and we won’t survive without it,” he says. “So, we’re all part and parcel of the same giant ecosystem. Our mental and physical health are a part of planetary health, and planetary health is a part of us.”
So, next time your climate anxiety makes you feel powerless, consider how important you and your wellbeing are to the world around you – and vice versa. As Alice says, “I can’t help but share my passion for [conservation]. Because it’s not just that the planet benefits; I benefit, too.”
It’s time to normalise conversations around personal and planetary health. Keep an eye on @bupa in the coming weeks to find out how content creators around the world are exploring the intersection between people and planet.
Research has shown that spending at least 120 minutes (2 hours) per week in nature is associated with a significantly higher likelihood of reporting good health and high wellbeing*. Yet two in five (38%) UK adults spend less than an hour per day outdoors.**
*White et al. (2019) – “Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing”
Published in Scientific Reports
Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3
**Bupa (2023) – “Crowded Cities: Health Concerns Grow As Brits Admit To Spending Less Than An Hour A Day Outside”
Source: bupa.com/news-and-press/press-releases/2023/crowded-cities
