Karachi:
Have you ever noticed how a ten-minute walk in the wild solves many problems that run in your head? It is not a coincidence, it is supported by science.
“Disconnecting with nature increases stress and long -term levels can be one of the causes of anxiety and depression,” said Dua Batool Khan, associated clinical psychologist, while speaking to The Express PK Press Club.
In recent years, the rise in artificial intelligence and digital technology has accelerated this separation. When previous generations have spent more from their life outside, direct experience is increasingly replaced by screens and simulations. Researchers at the University of Derby have documented a 60% drop in human ties with nature since the 1800s, a drop they called “extinction of experience”. The study followed the reduced use of words related to nature in books, by narrowing exposure to wild flora and fauna, and less external habits from parents to children.
The consequences are visible. Research shows that time outside lowers cortisol, improves sleep and mood, strengthens cognition and stimulates creativity in children. Even something as simple as morning sunlight is essential to regulate hormones and maintain healthy sleep-in-sleep cycles.
“Living in this world today where we think and live constantly for our future, nature offers you a way to slow down and live in the moment, which helps to alleviate anxiety and fear,” said Dua.
For young people, the effects do not go unnoticed. “Sometimes I have to force myself to store my phone and go out for a breath of fresh air,” said S-, 17. “I want to sit in the grass with my purring cat on my knees fixes me.”
Studies suggest that such effects are not isolated. A multi -year British study on social prescription revealed that patients referred by doctors to activities such as gardening or hiking have reported lower anxiety and greater happiness, pointing to the outdoors as a public health tool.
Researchers warn that the decline has wider costs. The weakening of the link with the natural world also reduces the meaning of people’s responsibilities towards ecosystems and environmental challenges such as climate change. “Gardening, walking on a beach, connection with animals and other techniques such as guided imagery and meditation use nature as anchor for imagination,” said Dua.
The distance between humans and nature has developed considerably. The challenge is now whether deliberate measures can repair this link in a rapid digitization world.
