– Photo by Johanna
HOW NATURE BENEFITS BOTH OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
‘What leads to exhaustion… the everyday grind of work, stressors, and health to name but a few. How can we combat such a harsh world that many of us live in, by harnessing the natural properties that Mother Earth has to share with us to maintain better health’.
Why is connecting with nature so beneficial to our health and wellbeing
Many of us have extremely busy lives, juggling family, social, and work pressures to maintain what a westernised culture classes as ‘normal’. These pressures cause so many unnecessary stressors which manifest themselves as both physical and mental ailments… tension in the neck and shoulders, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, insomnia, and the list goes on. Research has shown that spending time in and with nature directly improves both your physical and mental well-being.
Being in the green zone can assist in:
- Reduction of headaches or migraines
- Increase your pain threshold
- Improve problem-solving/clarity (walk and talk)
- Improves how we feel about ourselves – increases self-esteem
- Connects us spiritually with Mother Nature – soul food
- Boosts metabolism – helps with weight loss
- Increases our ability to fight off infection
- Improves sleep
- Overall makes us feel good about ourselves – life’s natural tonic
How we can connect with Nature
The best way to be at one with yourself is by ‘touching grass’, and spending time with nature. Set time aside a few times a week, your time. Not many of us have accomplished this yet and we must do.
When exploring the outdoors try not to put time constraints on yourself, enjoy the freedom. Practice grounding, the benefits to our health and well-being have already been covered, kick off the footwear and feel foot freedom and directly connect to the earth.
(related article below)
Grounding – Connect with Nature
Living in the moment is essential as it reduces the external pressures of everyday living, allowing you to slow down and take in nature’s sensory extravaganza – the fragrant scent of lavender, the warm breeze against your face, the sound of waves crashing against the shore… have you ever looked up and noticed cloud formations and how pretty they can be. These are examples of living in the moment, being at one with the natural beauty that surrounds us and many rarely notice. Mother Nature at her best.
There are many ways one can connect or reconnect with nature:
- Parks and open green areas are perfect to chillax and stroll around
- If working take your lunch break outdoors, add the sunshine vitamin to your diet
- At home, take your meals outdoors and eat in the fresh air
- Stargaze at night, spot a star or comet or hunt for constellations. Download Star Walk 2 which is a free app on Android or Ios
- Spend the day at the beach, body board, surf the waves, or the more adventurous snorkeling. ‘Surf therapy’ and spending time in blue spaces have been linked to many health benefits
- Join a group. Many rambling and walking groups would be pleased to accept new members. As well as the benefit of spending time with nature, you’ll also socialise with like-minded people, this in itself improves your well-being, we are social animals after all. Find a reputable group on the internet or invite friends, family, or colleagues and start a group of your own
- Grow bee-friendly flowers and vegetables. Spend your spare time gardening and expanding your nature zone – a fabulous way to get children involved and pass on the importance of connecting with nature
The science behind connecting with nature and improving health
In today’s increasingly urbanized and technologically driven society, the importance of nature in promoting human health is a topic that has gained significant attention. Back in 2010, Former US President Obama recognized the importance of connecting with nature and preserving outdoor spaces through his Presidential Memorandum on America’s Great Outdoors.
There is growing empirical data that being outdoors and connecting with nature has a positive effect on heart rate and blood pressure reducing both from elevated levels to normalised parameters. During this research stress markers were used, these were the sympathetic-adrenomedullary (SAM) system (fight or flight) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA). When a study participant was exposed to the great outdoors – visiting a green area/gardening it was noted that their stress markers lowered, improving their overall psychological and physiological stress levels.
This type of research is difficult due to the many factors influencing outcome eg. socio-economic, urbanisation. Where we live, our job and our priorities have a great impact on whether we can allow time to spend in green areas or gardening… however, for our health and well-being research has shown that we need to make time, even if it’s taking our lunch and eating outdoors. By making these small changes to your life and improving your physical and mental health you are also passing on positive lifestyle habits to other family members or children, hence promoting these health benefits to future generations.
Reinventing the work/life balance
In our fast-paced and demanding society, finding a healthy balance between work and life can be quite challenging. Many of us find it difficult to switch off following a busy physical or mentally demanding work day and that’s when we need to employ strategies to help reduce those stressors, in aid to relax and enjoy our own time.
When thinking about a work-life balance, I feel that many of us forget that the demand on us occasionally when at home, equates to work-type scenarios… busy with family, chores, organising, and planning. Even when at home, the day can be as frustrating and as busy as when at work, be aware of this, make time, and slow down. There are so many free park and outdoor activities that individuals or families can attend and it’s as easy as popping ‘free outdoor activities’ in your phone or tablet’s search engine. If this is unavailable to you, most libraries can give you access to the internet for free if you book a slot.
Remember, life is for living, not always paying the man.
Having this healthy connection with nature does not only positively affect us, but it also gives us an appreciation of our natural world, the way we live, and how we positively and negatively affect it. In realising this we can make small changes within our lives to improve and sustain our planet for future generations… think this is another blog.