Why Jules Pretty believes reconnecting with nature is key to tackling loneliness

It was American psychology and neuroscience professor Dr Julianne Holt-Lunstad who revealed this finding in 2015 which author Jules Pretty now cites while explaining the inspiration behind giving away free signed copies of his book.

When he invited people over Twitter to recommend someone they knew who was either lonely, or at risk of being so, to receive the East Country, it was just meant to be a nice new year’s gesture.

“It’s only a book,” he wrote, “but the blue light of spring comes #EndLonelinessUK.”

But it is not only a book. It is a collection of stories and poems about East Anglia.

To those on the receiving end, it is a subtle reminder to reconnect with nature like Professor Pretty does as he gives his personal view of the countryside and coast throughout the seasons.

READ MORE: JULES DELVES INTO OUR SHINING COASTLINE

Prof Pretty, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Essex University, said: “One of the core components of the book, and that side of our work at Essex University on the health benefits of nature, is engagement, which is what people miss when they’re lonely.

“It’s having a way of either engaging with other people or places that have meaning.

“It was on the back of that knowledge I thought a new year’s gesture could help.

“I've received long cases from people about the individuals they recommended which shows people really care about others who are lonely, and have no obvious way of dealing with it.

“But I also had people writing themselves saying, I’m so lonely nobody would actually recommend me but can you send me a copy.

“I hadn’t guessed people would have made such impassioned and touching cases and I’m not going to say no to any of them.”

'I will walk The East Country in his words until I can get back into my own fields & forests.' My mother on the phone just now, on eve of her hip op, after receiving this beautiful book as a gift from its author, the generous @JulesPretty1 who supports #EndLonelinessUK pic.twitter.com/wPh0DRS2Hq

— Tanya Shadrick (@LidoWriters) January 15, 2018

Being isolated and lonely are two separate experiences as someone can exist alone, but not be lonely at all.

However, research strongly suggests the epidemic is not only cutting lives short, loneliness provokes physical illnesses associated with inactivity and isolation, and has a significant effect on brain health and wellbeing.

In no uncertain terms, loneliness is a “modern horror” which Prof Pretty believes is rooted in political policies and changing lifestyles which have given rise to broken communities and families, and housing crises. Plus, we are living longer.

He said: “Although loneliness isn’t something which only affects the UK, a lot of affluent countries suffer from this.

“We’ve allowed communities to get fractured in this way. I believe we’ve stumbled into it over a period of time not meaning to.

“There are people in other countries around the world who would find the thought just beyond belief really, and now is the time to be thinking seriously about what we can do it make sure people of all ages have those social connections.

“Believing people can achieve this just through social media or TV is too easy and impossible for some of us.”

Walking creates memory. It’s an act of fiction, not an objective observation of landscapes. It brings forth the world #TheEastCountry pic.twitter.com/CxsCkPPLTB

— Jules Pretty (@JulesPretty1) January 13, 2018

The answer, he believes, is back outside where it all began.

As an environment professor at the university for 15 years, he and colleagues have emphasised the power of nature on our mental and physical health.

Now is a perfect time to also draw on their ten calls to action published last year.

Manifesto for the Green Mind called for each care home to have a garden, the natural environment to be promoted for human use and for us all to be able to access green, social and talking therapies, for example.

Prof Pretty said: “Just the first five minutes of being outdoors has an immediate positive effect and this is well documented for people young to old of all backgrounds.

“We’d say it’s like getting a dose of nature or a dose of wellbeing.

“There’s definitely a growing understanding of the importance of nature and it doesn’t just have to be rural.

“People often know this. They’ll go to sit in the park at lunchtime or if you take a city like London, Hyde Park on a summer’s evening will have about 200,000 people in it, so they all know something good is happening.”

To recommend or request a copy of the East Country: Almanac Tales of Valley and Shore (RRP £14.50) follow Jules on Twitter @julespretty1 where he is also creating a photographic archive of East Anglia using the hashtag #TheEastCountry.

Alternatively, email jpretty@essex.ac.uk.

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