Karachi:
Did you ever notice how a ten minutes walk in nature solves many problems spinning in your head? This is not a coincidence, it is supported by science.
“Disconnection with nature increases stress levels and long term can be one of the causes of anxiety and depression,” said Dua Batool Khan, an associated clinical psychologist, while talking with The express trustee.
In recent years, the emergence of artificial intelligence and digital technology has accelerated this separation. Where previous generations passed more of their lives outdoors, direct experience is increasingly replaced by screens and simulations. Researchers at the University of Derby have documented a 60% drop in the human connection with nature since the nineteenth century, a decrease that they call the “extinction of experience.” The study tracked the reduced use of words related to nature in books, reduced exposure to wild flora and fauna, and less outdoor habits from parents to children are transmitted.
The consequences are visible. Research shows that the time outside reduces cortisol, improves sleep and mood, strengthens cognition and increases creativity in children. Even something as simple as morning sunlight is essential to regulate hormones and maintain healthy cycles to sleep.
“Living in this world today where we are thinking and living constantly for our future, nature provides a way to reduce speed and live at the time, which helps relieve anxiety and fear,” Dua said.
For younger people, the effects do not go unnoticed. “Sometimes I have to force myself to save my phone and go for a breath of fresh air,” said S-, 17 years old. “I want to sit in the grass with my cat snorted in my lap, it simply fixes me.”
Studies suggest that such effects are not isolated. A study of several years in the United Kingdom on social prescription found that patients referred by doctors to activities such as gardening or hiking reported lower anxiety and greater happiness, pointing out the outdoor as a tool for public health.
Researchers warn that the decrease has broader costs. The weakening link with the natural world also reduces the sense of responsibility of people for ecosystems and environmental challenges, such as climate change. “Gardening, walking on a beach, connecting with animals and other techniques such as guided images and meditation use nature as an anchor for imagination,” Dua said.
The distance between humans and nature has grown significantly. The challenge now is whether deliberate measures can repair that link in a world that is digitized rapidly.
