Some scholars have examined which video images arouse positive emotions in us and even have an effect on the immune system
– Milan
Talk shows? No. TV series and films? Not even. Reality TV? It goes without saying: these are not the television programs that, according to science, have the gift of making us feel better. Because, as bizarre as it may seem, even where we point the remote control can make a difference in terms of happiness…
What to watch on TV to be happier
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The only transmission that, according to psychologists, has this effect are nature videos. Even watching just a short clip of green scenes appears to improve viewers’ mental health, especially compared to the effect of watching scenes of urban environments. This applies especially to teenagers (but not only). To verify this, a group of researchers from the University of Exeter (UK) analyzed some young volunteers in their late adolescence, a period of life that in recent years has been associated with significant mental health difficulties – including depression – exacerbated from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Adolescence is a time of multiple transitions and a time of vulnerability for mental health problems,” the authors explain. “There are many barriers to treating mental health conditions… One approach is to use nature-based interventions (NBIs) to improve mental well-being.”
Nature videos are good for you: study
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I study, Published on Naturehighlighted how 50% of all mental health disorders begin during adolescence, while 75% begin by age 24. To test whether the videos would have any effect on mental health, the researchers gathered 76 young adults, aged between 18 and 25, and divided them into two groups. The first watched a video depicting a walk in a natural environment, while the other watched a scene of city train commuters. Both videos were 6 minutes long and were accompanied by audio, such as birdsong and waterfalls in the nature video and train sounds in the urban video. The results showed that Stress levels in the group that watched the nature video were significantly improved compared to the urban group. Not only that, relaxation levels and attention span were also better in the nature video group. However, i levels of depressiondescribed by the study authors as depressive ruminationdid not improve in either group, suggesting that a short video cannot be compared to spending time in nature when it comes to mental health action. But in any case, the power of even a short nature video should not be underestimated: according to the researchers, in fact, it could at least work for those who have little or no access to natural areas, such as low-income urban areas, prisons or medical facilities.
Because watching nature on TV makes you happy
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The Nature study is not the first to highlight the mental health benefits of nature videos: the same conclusion was also reached a 2017 research from the University of Berkeley in California (USA), according to which watching nature films increases positive feelings, such as amazement, happiness and curiosity, and in doing so decreases negative feelings, such as tiredness and anger. Study participants watched a video randomly between scenes of Planet Earth II BBC Earth, drama series clips and news. After watching the clip, participants were asked to consider and rate how much they felt 14 emotions on a 10-point scale. The result? Those who watched the nature videos reported an increase in positive emotions and a decrease in negative emotions compared to the news, drama, and control clips.
Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at Berkeley and author of the study, is convinced that even just appreciating nature through images creates feelings of awe in individuals, with many health benefits. These include strengthening the immune system, reducing stress and increasing general well-being. And to obtain the maximum beneficial effect they should be looked at every day. “The study results – comments Keltner – invite us to make sure we include content about nature (or any form of beauty, really) that amazes and inspires as part of our daily social media diet.” In short, even a reel of Instagram or TikTok inspired by nature could put us in a good mood.
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