The environment can facilitate or discourage interactions among people (and the subsequent benefits of social support). For example, an inviting space with comfortable chairs and privacy can encourage people to stay in.

The environment can influence peoples' behavior and motivation to act.

The environment can influence mood. For example, rooms with bright light, both natural and artificial, can improve health outcomes such as depression, agitation, and sleep.

What about stress?

Perhaps most importantly for health, the environment can create or reduce stress, which in turn impacts our bodies in multiple ways. This is because our brain and our nervous, endocrine, and immune systems are constantly interacting.

In addition, hormones released in response to the emotional stress could suppress the patient's immune system, causing his wounds to heal more slowly.

At Wellbeing Center, stress is an important medical consideration, and creating an environment that reduces stress is our key piece of improving health outcomes.