İhsan ErenPlan your week
Nature planner
Enter the time you have spent, or plan to spend, in nature this week. The planner is saved on this device and resets every Monday.
The thin green line on the ring marks 120 minutes; the full ring represents 300 minutes.
Nature in Istanbul
Where to this week?
You don’t need to go far; the park closest to your home counts too. A few suggestions:
European side
- Belgrad Forest
- Emirgan Grove
- Yıldız Park
- Maçka Park
- Gülhane Park
- Atatürk Urban Forest
- Bebek–Rumelihisarı waterfront
- Florya seafront
Asian side
- Validebağ Grove
- Fenerbahçe Park
- Göztepe 60th Anniversary Park
- Moda seafront
- Büyük Çamlıca Hill
- Kuzguncuk–Beylerbeyi waterfront
- Polonezköy
- Princes’ Islands
Even seeing trees from a window
In a famous study published in Science in 1984, researchers looked at the records of patients who had had gallbladder surgery. They compared 23 patients whose window looked out on trees with 23 similar patients whose window faced a brick wall.
- Those who could see trees stayed in hospital for less time: 7.96 days on average versus 8.70 days.
- They needed fewer strong painkillers.
- Nurses’ notes contained fewer negative comments about them.
- It was a small study, but it inspired hospital designers to make room for nature.
The awe walk
52 healthy older adults took a 15-minute walk once a week for 8 weeks. In the group asked to pay attention to a feeling of “awe” as they walked (that sense of wonder in the face of something far bigger than yourself), daily distress fell and emotions such as compassion and gratitude increased. In the photos they took on their walks, they gradually gave less space to themselves and more to the scenery, and their smiles became more noticeable.
Put your phone in your pocket
Taking photos is fine, but don’t walk along staring at the screen.
Notice what is vast
The breadth of the sea, the sky, the trunk of an old plane tree: look at things bigger than you.
See the small things too
The veins of a leaf, the moss between the stones, the flight of the gulls.
Something new each time
Choose a different route or time of day; even familiar places can surprise you with new details.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to go to a forest or the countryside?
No. In the research, visits to open green and blue spaces such as city parks, groves, beaches and the countryside were all counted together. The park in your neighbourhood or the seafront works too.
Do I need to exercise?
No. Sitting or walking slowly in nature counts too. In the study that measured the stress hormone, participants were specifically asked not to do brisk exercise or use their phones. If you do walk, you get the benefits of movement as well.
Do I have to do the 120 minutes all at once?
No need. In the research, it made no difference whether the weekly time was made up of one long visit or several short ones. For example, 30 minutes on 4 days works too.
I can’t leave the house. What can I do?
Even seeing greenery from a window has been linked to better recovery. Open the curtains, sit near a window if you can, and grow plants on your balcony or windowsill. If you find it hard to get out of the house, physiotherapy can help you walk with confidence again.
Sources
- White MP, Alcock I, Grellier J, et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci Rep. 2019;9:7730.
- Hunter MR, Gillespie BW, Chen SY. Urban nature experiences reduce stress in the context of daily life based on salivary biomarkers. Front Psychol. 2019;10:722.
- Ulrich RS. View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science. 1984;224(4647):420-421.
- Sturm VE, Datta S, Roy ARK, et al. Big smile, small self: awe walks promote prosocial positive emotions in older adults. Emotion. 2022;22(5):1044-1058.