How Nature Can Improve Mental Health
- delilahhemstreet
- Feb 29, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 3, 2024
It is important to have a positive relationship with the earth, but also with your own mind. Oftentimes in our world of constant stimulation, we get so caught up in what we have to do or our concerns about the future that we aren't able to sit in the still and let our minds rest.
Our generation, the first that has grown up with phones, has been conditioned to crave constant doses of serotonin through technology. Serotonin that doesn't last. To be able to sit still, in silence, to let everything go and just be, that's a challenging task for young people today. But a simple walk in nature can help. A walk along a river, a hike through a forest or wooded area, a few moments sitting on the shore of a lake, without a device, listening to the sounds of nature, focused on your breathing. These things can greatly reduce stress. Just look at the beauty of a bird in flight, or a tree's leaves rustling in the wind, or the way the sunlight reflects in the water. These things also bring about the sense that we are part of something much greater than ourselves, and that perspective, too, can be healthy.
Along with climate change, mental health is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Taking a more holistic approach to healing can be beneficial in the long term. Whatever your personal program is to strengthen your mental wellbeing, it is important to include time in nature. Stepping away from the world and its pressures is crucial for everyone. In nature you can just be. In nature, the demands of life are stripped away. There is a healing energy that comes with being around trees, grass, plants, soil, wildlife, insects. I have felt it first hand living in the Rocky Mountains. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by the demands of modern living, I encourage you to go outside and let yourself be embraced by nature.
If you'd like to learn more about the science behind the healing power of nature, check out the article Nurtured by Nature from the American Psychological Association.
Love this! There is a little movement I found for kids called "1000 Hours Outside" and I'm trying to do it with L&G... ps: it's hard, as that averages about 3 hours outside everyday. But, I've concluded that any time we spend outside is SO beneficial for them!