Why do we feel better with wood?

Wood has been used as a building material for millennia, but its benefits to people who live, work, and gather in the built environment are only beginning to be understood. Researchers are discovering that wood can contribute to the health and wellbeing of building occupants. While many people would agree that wood is visually pleasing, its aesthetic properties affect humans on a deeper level.

Can the use of natural elements in building design enhance moods and reduce stress?

Can they improve focus, creating environments that enhance productivity and learning?

Being outdoors makes people feel good. Fresh air, sunlight, plants, and trees, all contribute to an overall sense of wellbeing. Most people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, either at home, at work, or in other spaces like retail stores, restaurants, schools or other public buildings. The remaining 10 percent of time is divided between vehicular travel and spending time outdoors.

It should come as no surprise that the built environment, and the materials used to construct it, have a major impact on us. Because we spend so much time indoors, the spaces we inhabit can affect the way we act and feel, and even our health and wellbeing.

Interior design may prove to be just as important as diet, sleep habits or exercise routine. This is the premise behind biophilic design – the idea that incorporating natural elements into buildings, such as exposed wood, natural light, or plants, can actually improve overall health.

One of the biggest causes of health problems is stress. Stress can manifest in many ways, causing any number of health problems, and it can also affect the way people function. When people feel stressed, they may feel more anxious, and have difficulty focusing or interacting socially. 

There are many factors that can contribute to stress, including the indoor environments where people spend their time. In reviewing existing research on the physiological and psychological impact of natural elements – views of nature, natural light, plants, and exposed wood – environmental psychologists found that humans automatically relax when they are surrounded by elements from the natural world.

When we experience a built environment that is similar to natural spaces that sheltered humans for thousands of years, we feel relaxed and de-stressed in a profound way.

We are not as stressed in difficult situations and our lives are improved. 

Wood interior design has been used to achieve diverse design styles, from contemporary and informal to elegant and stately. The trend of biophilic design in offices and other workplaces has been growing for years.

Until recently, the link between wood interiors and productivity has been anecdotal. Research is beginning to show that wood can make a difference.

Forest and Wood Products Australia commissioned a study “Workplaces: Wellness+ Wood = Productivity” that linked nature, biophilic design, and wood with improved physical and mental wellbeing. 

The study surveyed 1,000 Australian workers and found a correlation between the presence of wood and employees’ overall satisfaction at work, lower absenteeism, higher levels of concentration, and improved productivity.

People in workplaces with less than 20 percent natural wood surfaces were up to 30 percent less satisfied with both their working life and physical workplace compared to those with a high proportion of wood.

For more information visit WoodSolutions website www.woodsolutions.com.au  

– Article courtesy Thinkwood