Rumination and Connection with Nature

Written By Hugh Asher

19th June 2022

Rumination
/ruːmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/

Noun
A deep or considered thought about something.
The action of chewing the cud.

Rumination in cows (and other herbivorous animals) describes the action of eating grass and other forages where they chew and re-chew food over an extended period of time. The rumination process allows them to eat forages and other high fiber feeds that are not be able to be eaten by humans and other non-ruminant animals. In humans, rumination usually refers to a mental process that occurs where you have constant and repetitive thoughts about something; typically, a problem or situation. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, rumination is defined as “obsessive thinking about an idea, situation, or choice especially when it interferes with normal mental functioning”. When people ruminate they often play the same thoughts over and over in their heads often analysing their current distress, the reasons for it and its consequences.

Rumination is linked to depression and anxiety. When people ruminate they activate part of their brain called the subgenual prefrontal cortex (SGPFC), an important brain region involved in emotional regulation and reward mechanisms and resulting in feelings of sadness and helplessness, loss of pleasure (anhedonia) and lack of motivation. A study called ‘Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation’ found that people who went for a 90 minute walk in nature experienced a sizeable reduction in blood flow to the SGPFC and a reduction in ruminations, whilst the people in the study who went for a walk in an urban area experienced so comparable reductions. The researchers reflected that nature experiences impact rumination in a way that is significantly more profound than more urban experiences.

In her book ‘The Nature Fix’, Florence Williams describes nature connection as having the same effect on rumination as shaking a favourite toy in front of a crying toddler to distract them does.

Further Reading!

Bratman et al (2015) Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation

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Hugh Asher

I’m Hugh and I’m a Certified Forest Bathing Guide and Forest Therapy Practitioner, having trained with the Forest Therapy Institute and the Forest Therapy Hub. My purpose in life is to inspire people to improve their wellbeing, and to help people to help and inspire others to improve their wellbeing. I do this through promoting greater nature connection as I am a passionate believer in the benefits to health and wellbeing that nature and increased connection to nature can bring.

Professionally, I have worked for over twenty years supporting people experiencing: mental health problems; autism; learning disabilities; school exclusion; experience of the care system; and a history of offending behaviour. Currently I am the ‘Recovery Through Nature Lead’ in a residential rehab for people experiencing drug and alcohol problems.

I have a PhD in Therapeutic Relationships, but Dr. Hugh makes me sound too much like a Time Lord.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-asher/
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