How Touching Decorative Grass Benefits Women's Health and Mind

Mary Jones
4th February, 2024

How Touching Decorative Grass Benefits Women's Health and Mind

Comparison of systolic and diastolic blood pressure between real grass and artificial grass (control) tasks from study participants.

Image adapted from: Hassan & Deshun / CC BY (Source)
Urbanization is rapidly increasing globally, with a majority of the world’s population now residing in cities[2]. While cities offer certain advantages, they also present unique challenges to mental and physical wellbeing. Increased stress levels are a significant concern, potentially linked to a disconnection from natural environments. Researchers at Tongji University recently investigated whether direct contact with nature – specifically, touching real grass – could offer a measurable reduction in stress[1]. The study compared the effects of touching real grass to touching artificial turf, serving as a control. Forty participants were asked to spend five minutes touching either real grass or artificial turf with the palm of their hand, while outdoors. Several measurements were taken to assess the impact of each experience. These included blood pressure readings, electroencephalography (EEG) to measure brainwave activity, scores on the State-trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) – a questionnaire assessing anxiety levels – and responses on a semantic differential scale (SDM) designed to capture subjective feelings. EEG measures brain electrical activity using electrodes placed on the scalp. Different brainwave patterns are associated with different states of consciousness and mental activity. Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood against artery walls, and is a common physiological indicator of stress. The STAI is a psychological tool used to quantify anxiety, while the SDM asks participants to rate experiences using pairs of opposing adjectives (like ‘relaxed’ versus ‘tense’). The results showed that touching real grass led to significant changes in brainwave patterns compared to touching artificial turf. Specifically, the grass contact was associated with alterations in brainwave rhythms indicative of a more relaxed state. Furthermore, participants who touched real grass experienced a reduction in both systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure. This suggests a physiological calming effect. Subjective reports, gathered through the SDM, reinforced these findings. Participants reported feeling more relaxed, comfortable, and connected to nature after touching real grass, and also reported lower levels of anxiety. Interestingly, the grass-touching group also scored higher on measures of meditation and attentiveness, suggesting an improvement in cognitive focus. These findings build upon earlier research highlighting the negative impact of urban environments on mental health[3]. That study, using brain imaging, showed that growing up and living in cities can alter how the brain processes social stress, with increased activity in the amygdala – a brain region involved in fear and emotional responses. The current study suggests a potential intervention to counteract these effects: direct contact with nature. Previous work has also demonstrated the relaxing effects of natural materials, such as Hinoki cypress wood, when touched[4]. That study found that touching Hinoki with the soles of the feet reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex (involved in higher-level thinking) and increased parasympathetic nervous activity (associated with rest and digestion). The current study extends this line of inquiry by focusing on the specific benefit of touching real grass, and by using a broader range of physiological and psychological measures. The study’s findings are consistent with the idea that humans have an innate connection to nature, sometimes referred to as “biophilia”. This suggests that exposure to natural environments isn’t simply a pleasant experience, but may be essential for optimal health and wellbeing.[2] notes that while urban inhabitants generally enjoy better health than their rural counterparts, this benefit isn’t equally distributed, and can be significantly reduced for those with lower socioeconomic status. Accessible natural spaces, and even simple interventions like encouraging contact with grass, could potentially help mitigate health disparities in urban settings.

HealthMental HealthPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) Nature's therapeutic power: a study on the psychophysiological effects of touching ornamental grass in Chinese women.

Published 3rd February, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-024-00514-6

Related Studies

2) Health and urban living.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1150198

3) City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans.

https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10190

4) Physiological Effects of Touching the Wood of Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) with the Soles of the Feet.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15102135


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