INTRODUCTION:

Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Stress affects both the mind and the body. A little bit of stress is good and can help us perform daily activities. Too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems. Learning how to cope with stress can help us feel less overwhelmed and support our mental and physical well-being.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent trust which manages the temples including the Tirumala Lord Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. The trust is under the control of Andhra Pradesh Government. The Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institution and Endowments Act (1987) apply to the trust, the temple is richest temple in world, and the most visited Hindu religious centre in the world. It is also involved in various social, religious, literary and educational activities.

TTD is headquartered at Tirupati and employes about 7,000 people. Nearly daily 60,000 pilgrims are visited Tirumala. Because TTD employees can effected highly stress, Stress makes it hard for us to relax and can come with a range of emotions, including anxiety and irritability.

HYGIENIC HABITS FOR STRESS:

· Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.

· If possible, make your sleeping area quiet, dark, relaxing and at a comfortable temperature.

· Limit your use of electronic devices, such as TVs, computers and smart phones, before sleeping.

· Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.

· Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

REVIEWS:

Daniel K. Brown et.al (2013) suggests that the nature can elicit improvements in the recovery process following a stressor.

Aeliesha M. Brooks et al. (2017) study that the both actual and pictorial nature contact benefits moods, but actual nature is more effective

Alan Ewert and Yun Chang (2018) suggest that visiting natural environments can be beneficial in reducing both physical and psychological stress levels

Hyunju Jo (2019) reported that visual contact with flowers, green plants, and wooden materials had positive effects on cerebral and autonomic nervous activities compared with the control.

Genevive R. Meredith et al.(2019) show that the when contrasted with equal durations spent in urbanized settings, as little as 10 min of sitting or walking in a diverse array of natural settings significantly and positively impacted defined psychological and physiological markers of mental well-being for college-aged individuals.

Yasuhiro Kotera et al.(2021) demonstrated that nature walks were effective for state anxiety but not generalized anxiety and the effects for depression were inconsistent. Findings indicate that nature walks may be effective for mental health, especially for reducing state anxiety.

Sindu Padmanabhan (2021) study that the stress is very not satisfy job performance.

Elisa Menardo et al (2022) asked that the mindfulness-based practices and of contact with nature in coping with stressful situations at work, and we propose a model of coping with work-related stress by using mindfulness in nature-based practices.

Velankani Catherine and Clayton Michael Fonceca (2022) finding that the 69% of the respondents were having low quality of life which resulted in them having low job performance.

Rahaju Ningtyas et al.(2023) investigated that the revealed that nature exposure provided a sense of relaxation, tranquillity, and rejuvenation, enhancing emotional well-being.

Injoon Song et al.(2023) suggests that nature sound, they felt more comfortable, relaxed, and natural, and the negative mood state was lower, while the positive mood state was higher than urban sound. Hearing nature sounds may be an effective way to relieve stress in everyday life.

Tina B. Phillips (2023) finding that the promoting opportunities to increase engagement with and access to nearby nature is associated with better human well-being, especially during challenging events, and should be part of a multi-pronged approach for coping with the next public health crisis.

Ahmad Hassan and Zhang Deshun (2023) indicated that the participants were moderately comfortable, very relaxed, and experienced reduced anxiety after stimulation with grass compared with after the control condition. Mean attention and relaxation scores were also significantly higher in the experimental condition than in the control condition. Thus, our results suggest that touching grass with the sole of the foot can lower psychophysiological stress in adults.

Sheetal Dattatraya Deshmukh (2024) This study focused on the increasing work stress among women employees and highlight the impacts of work stress on their physical and psychological healths.

OBJECTIVE:

To study the effect of nature soothing is reducing stress levels among TTD employees

HYPOTHESIS:

a) There would be significant impact of nature soothing on before stress among TTD employees with regard Pre test – Post test

b) There would be significant impact of nature soothing on after Relaxation on stress among TTD employees with regard Pre test – Post test

SELECTION OF SAMPLE:

The researcher has selected 60 working TTD employees on own interest and willing the participation of stress management training. Tirupati, Chittoor District, and Andhra Pradesh employees are selected from Different branches like (Teachers, Temple staff, Office staff, ‘Q’ line Management staff, Reception staff, 4^th class employees and Marketing staff) randomly. After establishing rapport with the TTD employees, the following working stress questionnaire and Relaxation questionnaire was administered with using instructions, Conducted on the data from received Pre test (n=60) and after Stress management training was taken consisted in three days, after fallowed one month to collect the data from Post test (n=60) among same working women’s.

Branch	Total No. of Employees
Teachers and Lecturers	10
Temple employess	20
Office staff	05
‘Q’ line Management staff	05
IV Class employees	10
Marketing staff	10

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Data was analyzed using Means, SD’S and t values.

Nature Benefit for Stress Management:

Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. For example, doing things like growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals can have lots of positive effects. Nature is usually happier in life and more likely to report feeling their lives are worthwhile. Nature can generate many positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, and creativity and can facilitate concentration.

Nature has long been recognized for its positive effects on human well-being and mental health. The calming presence of natural landscapes, the soothing sounds of running water, and the vibrant colors of flora and fauna all contribute to a sense of calm and restoration.

It can:

· improve your mood

· reduce feelings of stress or anger

· help you take time out and feel more relaxed

· improve your physical health

· improve your confidence and self-esteem

· help you be more active

· help you meet and get to know new people

· connect you to your local community

· reduce loneliness

· help you feel more connected to nature

· provide peer support.

· Listening natural sounds

· Seeing animals

Relax:

· Take deep breaths. If you're feeling stressed, taking a few deep breaths makes you breathe slower and helps your muscles relax.

· Increase Oxygen capacity

· Take time to do something you want to do. We all have lots of things that we have to do. It could be listening to music sounds of animals, going to a movie. Think of this as an order from your doctor, so you won’t feel guilty!

· Take care of your body: Get moving. Getting physical activity can help relax your tense muscles but improve your mood. Research shows that physical activity can help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

· Connect with others: Share and Talking about your problems with friends or family members can sometimes help you feel better.

“Working stress” Questionnaire developed by Balaji Deekshitulu P.V (2012) was used to collect data from the sample. It consists of 55 items provide measures of 11 “Working stress for each area scores will range from 5 to 25. Scores of 14 or above suggest problem areas. It measures stress in 11 namely Disagreement and Indecision, Pressure on the Job, Job Description Conflict, Communication and Comfort with Supervisor, Job-Related Health Concerns, Work Overload Stress, Work Underload Stress, Boredom Induced Stress, Problem of Job Security, Time Pressure, Job Barrier Stress. Overall scores will fall within the 55 to 275 range. Scores of 135 or above would suggest an unusual amount of work-related stress. Use the Ten Tips for Preventing Burnout in the next section to combat the effects of work-related stress.

“Relaxation Techniques” Questionnaire developed by Balaji Deekshitulu P.V and Nomusankar. S (2012) was used to collect data from the sample. It consists of 33 items provide measures of 5 Relaxation Techniques. For each statement there are four response categories i.e. 0 = ‘does not apply or not used’; 1= ‘used somewhat’; 2= ‘used quite a bit’; 3= ‘used a great deal’. High score indicates more Relax and least score indicates less way of Relax. It measures Relaxation Techniques in 5 dimensions Physical Methods, Environmental Methods, Psychological Methods, Positive Attitude, and Diversion Method.

Table 1: Sample

Working stress		Relaxation techniques
Pre-test	Post test	Pre-test	Post test
60	60	60	60

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Table 2: Nature soothing impact of stress (pre-post) on TTD employees

Working Stress Factors	Pre Test (n=60)		Post Test(n=60)		‘t’ Value
Working Stress Factors	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	‘t’ Value
Disagreement and Indecision	15.76	2.40	10.05	1.02	16.96**
Pressure on the Job	23.05	3.12	9.75	2.30	26.57**
Job Description Conflict	17.3	2.74	15.16	1.96	4.92**
Communication and Comfort with Supervisor	10.71	1.43	7.8	1.12	12.4**
Job-Related Health Concerns	9.13	1.07	5.25	1.32	17.68**
Work Overload Stress	20.55	2.96	13.96	1.19	16**
Work Underload Stress	16.05	2.11	11.38	1.18	14.96**
Boredom Induced Stress	11.61	1.97	8.96	1.07	9.15**
Problem of Job Security	21.95	3.33	18.98	2.13	5.81**
Time Pressure	19.16	2.38	16.37	2.07	6.85**
Job Barrier Stress	21.04	2.75	17.08	2.03	8.97**

**p < 0.01

The table 2 shows that there is significant clearly indicate that to decreased working stress on before training and after training of stress management on working women’s is data compared with pre test and post test results of ‘t’ values of 16.96, 26.57, 4.92, 12.4, 17.68, 16, 14.96, 9.15, 5.81, 6.85 and 8.97 which are significant impact on Working stress factors that is Disagreement and Indecision, Pressure on the Job, Job Description Conflict, Communication and Comfort with Supervisor, Job-Related Health Concerns, Work Overload Stress, Work Underload Stress, Boredom Induced Stress, Problem of Job Security, Time Pressure, Job Barrier Stress. Hence Hypothesis 1 accepted There would be significant impact of nature soothing on before stress among TTD employees with regard Pre test – Post test

The results of the present study corroborating with the results of the Studies conducted by Sindu Padmanabhan (2021) study that the stress is very not satisfy job performance. Velankani Catherine and Clayton Michael Fonceca (2022) finding that the 69% of the respondents were having low quality of life which resulted in them having low job performance. Sheetal Dattatraya Deshmukh (2024) This study focused on the increasing work stress among women employees and highlight the impacts of work stress on their physical and psychological healths.

Table 3: Relaxation impact of stress (pre-post) on TTD employee’s

Relaxation Techniques Factors	Pre-Test (n=60)		Post Test(n=60)		‘t’ Value
Relaxation Techniques Factors	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	‘t’ Value
Physical Methods	12.48	3.71	20.65	2.09	14.86**
Environmental Methods	17.12	2.13	19.0	2.70	4.23**
Psychological Methods	14.06	1.90	18.01	2.69	9.29**
Positive Attitude	10.16	1.10	14.12	1.26	18.33**
Diversion Method	9.58	2.09	11.03	1.95	3.92**

**p < 0.01

The above table 3 shows that there is significant clearly indicate that to increased relaxation on before training and after training of stress management on working women’s data compared with pre test and post test results of ‘t’ values of 14.86, 4.23, 9.29, 18.33 and 3.92 which are significant impact on relaxation technique factors that is Physical Methods, Environmental Methods, Psychological Methods, Positive Attitude, and Diversion Method. Hence Hypothesis 2 accepted there would be significant impact of Relaxation on Stress among TTD employees with regard Pre test and Post test.

The results of the present study corroborating with the results of the Studies conducted by Aeliesha M. Brooks et al. (2017) , Alan Ewert and Yun Chang (2018), Hyunju Jo (2019), Genevive R. Meredith et al.(2019) , Yasuhiro Kotera et al.(2021) , Elisa Menardo et al (2022) reported that visual contact with flowers, green plants, and wooden materials had positive effects on cerebral and autonomic nervous activities compared with the control. Tina B. Phillips (2023), Ahmad Hassan and Zhang Deshun (2023), Rahaju Ningtyas et al.(2023) investigated that the revealed that nature exposure provided a sense of relaxation, tranquillity, and rejuvenation, enhancing emotional well-being.

DISCUSSION:

The results clearly show the immediate positive effect of Nature soothing is stress management on the relaxation levels on the TTD employees. All TTD employees stress levels are decreased; the relaxation of TTD employees are increased so daily fallow on Nature soothing tips to increasing on relaxation automatically reducing stress and strategy needs to be considered.

CONCLUSION:

The key message of this research evidence is a need to shift our attention from getting people to visit natural and sometimes remote spaces to focus on how people can tune in and connect with “everyday” nature close to home through simple activities. We can develop a new relationship with the natural world by noticing nature, which has been found to bring benefits to mental health. So in conclusion yes Nature observation can be a great remedy for stress and can offer some stress relief, it can effect on anyone's mental/physical health and personal development of employee’s.

REFERENCES:

1. Ahmad Hassan and Zhang Deshun. Better Nature: Improved Interactions with Nature May Reduce Psychophysiological Stress in Chinese Adults. Horticultural Science. 2023; 58(7); 779–784.

2. Alan Ewert and Yun Chang. Levels of Nature and Stress Response, Behav Sci (Basel). 2018; 8(5): 49.

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4. Mrs. Sheetal Dattatraya Deshmukh. Work Stress Management – A Study Of Women Employees In It Organization In Pune. Journal of Advanced Zoology. 2024; 45(S4): 180–185.

5. Sindu Padmanabhan. The impact of locus of control on workplace stress and job satisfaction, Current Research in Behavioral Sciences. 2021; 2.

6. Daniel K. Brown, Jo L. Barton, and Valerie F. Gladwell. Viewing Nature Scenes Positively Affects Recovery of Autonomic Function Following Acute-Mental Stress. Environ Sci Technol. 2013; 47(11): 5562–5569.

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8. Genevive R. Meredith, Donald A. Rakow, Erin R. B. Eldermire, Cecelia G. Madsen, Steven P. Shelley, Naomi A. Sachs. Minimum Time Dose in Nature to Positively Impact the Mental Health of College-Aged Students, and How to Measure It , Sec. Environmental Psychology. 2019; 10.

9. Hyunju Jo, Chorong Song, nd Yoshifumi Miyazaki. Physiological Benefits of Viewing Nature. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec; 16(23): 4739.

10. Injoon Song, Kwangsik Baek, Choyun Kim, Chorong Song. Effects of nature sounds on the attention and physiological and psychological relaxation, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. 2023; 86.

11. Tina B. Phillips, Nancy M. Wells, Abigail H. Brown, Jordan R. Tralins, David N. Bonter (2023) Nature and well-being: The association of nature engagement and well-being during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/pan3.10433

12. Rahaju Ningtyas, Nurhikmah Paddiyatu, Benny Novico Zani, Herawati. The Impact of Nature Exposure on Mental Health and Well-Being, West Science Interdisciplinary Studies. 2023; 1(08): 543-550.

13. Velankani Catherine and Clayton Michael Fonceca. Employee Stress and its Impact on their Job Performance. 2022; 10(3): 34-38. https://www.researchgate.net/

14. Yasuhiro Kotera, Melinda Lyons, Katia Correa Vione, Briony Norton. Effect of Nature Walks on Depression and Anxiety. 2021; 13(7): 4015; https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/7/4015

Received on 18.06.2024 Modified on 08.07.2024

Res. J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2024;15(3):192-196.

DOI: 10.52711/2321-5828.2024.00029