Awakening Your Senses: How Touch, Smell, and Taste Connect You with Nature Indoors
Many people understand that there is a benefit associated with viewing the sights of nature, especially biophilic patterns (think: conch shells, ferns, butterflies). But what about the non-visual? In our previous blog post, we covered the benefits of connecting with nature via sound. In this blog, we will continue in this train of study to help you learn more about the benefits of experiencing nature through other senses as well as providing some recommendations on how to bring a non-visual connection with nature into an indoor living space.
The benefits of connecting non-visually with nature is still a niche field of study, but there are some researchers and studies we can consider who have isolated the non-visual connection in order to better understand its benefits. A meta analysis by Pritchard et al (2019) looked into the relationship between connectedness to nature and eudaimonic wellbeing. The researchers defined eudaimonic as “functioning well”, and it is generally understood to refer to a deep sense of meaning or purpose. Researchers found that “individuals who are more connected to nature tend to have greater eudaimonic well-being, and in particular have higher levels of self-reported personal growth.” There is additional research (source 1, source 2, source 3) which suggests that biophilic patterns create a calming and safe environment for us, as we’ve evolved to see uninterrupted fractal patterns as being indicators of spaces that are free of potential predators.
Studies aside, a combination of common sense, personal experience, and our human history can tell us that connecting with nature in any sense is beneficial. To experience the values of a connection with nature, be intentional about bringing nature into your home in various ways. Think through the 5 senses: we have already covered the benefits of connecting with nature through sound, so this blog will focus on ways to bring the smell, feel, and taste of nature into your home.
When exploring the sense of touch, think about textures in your space. Wood, stone, and fur are all naturally occurring textures that would be easy to incorporate in your interior design - consider wooden and stone furniture, and faux fur rugs or pillows. Additionally, consider owning some house plants - touching natural materials can help you feel connected with nature despite being indoors.
Smell can be a powerful stimulus as it is closely interconnected with memory. There are many ways to bring smells of nature into your home. An easy way is to use an essential oil diffuser or burn naturally scented candles. Consider scents such as pine or lavender, or other trees and flowers. If your space allows for it, it would be even better to bring real, fragrant plants into your home. For example, keeping fresh cut flowers on the dining room table will bring the smells and the sight of nature into your home.
Finally, consider the sense of taste. Taste is closely tied to the sense of smell, and any additions you make to your space to impact taste will likely impact smell as well. One easy way to connect to nature in your home through taste is to cultivate a tabletop herb garden. Indoor hydroponic herb gardens are becoming more popular - you can purchase kits that come with herb starters, grow lights, and a watering schedule. Even if you don’t have a yard or space for a garden, this is a simple and easy way to bring the taste of nature into your home. If you do have the space, cultivating an outdoor garden in your backyard can provide additional benefits, such as the opportunity to spend more time outdoors, get in some exercise, and eat some homegrown whole fruits and vegetables. Additionally, there’s evidence that certain visual textures are connected with basic taste words, such as rounded visual textures being associated with sweet tastes and rough visual textures being associated with salty tastes. When you add different natural textures to your indoor spaces, seeing these textures could connect subconsciously to your taste receptors, adding complexity to your space.
Whether it be through sight, sound, touch, smell, or taste, the benefits of connecting with nature are undeniable and worth pursuing. Christian Grosen, creator of A Space for Being, a space which explores the impact of interior design on our biology, says, "The ideas of A Space for Being encourages us to be thoughtful about the elements that we surround ourselves with, exploring what resonates best with our personal sensibilities and nudging us to become more conscious about how the things around us can influence how we feel. We should be more thoughtful about how to use shapes, colors, textures and materials within design to enhance our wellbeing on a daily basis."