Nature’s Healing Power
Everybody has different experiences with nature and their own individual reasons for wanting to connect with it.
Spending time in nature is not only enjoyable, but also beneficial to our health and wellbeing. Getting yourself outside and enjoying the natural sunlight has also proven to be incredibly helpful for anyone suffering with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
There’s something about the quiet calm of nature that’s highly contagious and can leave you feeling relaxed for hours after you’ve unlaced your walking boots — whether that be walking in the forest, sitting by the beach and lapping up the sound of the waves or simply enjoying the smell of freshly cut grass whilst out on a stroll.
But how exactly does nature benefit our mental health?
For many people, living in a fast-paced, non-rural lifestyle has significant negative consequences to our mental wellbeing. Aside from those long working days and dreaded commutes, this type of routine often involves several pressures that affects our mental health. Add this to the fact that spending time in greenspaces produces feel-good hormones, it’s always a good idea to set out some time to recharge outdoors.
Struggling to find a way back to nature that feels right for you? Don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to feel the benefits without having to up-root your routine:
Use your lunch break as a 30-40 minute stroll
Research shows that walking as little as 30 minutes a day can significantly improve our mental wellbeing. If your schedule doesn’t permit a daily walk, why not incorporate your lunch break with a quick power walk?
Bring nature inside
Can’t stop buying houseplants? Great! Your brain will thank you for it.
Not only do indoor plants look great on the gram, they also help keep our mental health in check. What’s good for the body is good for the brain — and the toxin-absorbing, air-purifying abilities of plants have been shown to also lower anxiety stress as well as promote a good night’s sleep.
Gardening and its therapeutic effects
Researchers have been promoting the mental health benefits of horticulture for decades — and with good reason. The act of tending to plants not only takes our minds away from life’s typical stresses, but has an overall calming effect long after we’ve put away the gardening gloves.
And if that wasn’t reason enough — one look at this guy is all the proof we need:
Happy gardening!