Being, seeing or imagining nature reduces feelings of anger, stress and fear. Therefore, you mentally feel better but physically too! Being exposed to nature also reduces your heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. So nature reduces stress, anxiety and depression proving that being in nature and enjoying the great outdoors is a good way to relax and release bad energy. Let’s not forget to mention the great benefits of Vitamin D on health too. To take a closer look, studies have even shown that people who viewed images of urban and busy cities had an increase in their stress levels while those who viewed images of nature and trees did not have the same increase in stress as the others. Another group of studies also concluded that being in nature can help increase your attention span. This is because we as humans like to observe and being outdoors allows us to take in that landscape and environment and actually take the time to focus on the small things. We naturally find nature interesting and are able to let our minds experience it. This leads to us being able to distract ourselves from mental or even physical pain as we absorb the nature instead.
Not only does exposure to nature reduce stress but it ultimately puts you in a better, more positive mood improving your psychological well-being. So why not be around nature all the time or at least add elements of it around you? My home is filled with nature and it’s not all necessarily real. I have a combination of real and fake plants. This is because I am uncomfortable with having too much soil and plants that attract insects as I have a baby in the house and family members with allergies. I made sure to put greenery and/or green spaces in every room. Plants in the room might not be as beneficial as being out in nature but always remember that something is better than nothing. Make sure to angle some of your seating towards windows and natural light. Especially if you are working out at home, face a window or have a view of some greenery indoor or outdoors and enjoy the relaxing rush of calming vibes as you focus on your pump. With the current quarantining and working from home it is the perfect opportunity to start adding touches of nature to your personal and work areas.
If nature has such a positive effect on us, imagine how beneficial it is to children and even babies. Most kids these days don’t seem to want to be out and if they are, you can bet they will be playing with some kind of gadget or screen. The lack of nature due to screen time is a rising issue and I hope we are all able to play an active role in our children’s lives by increasing the amount of time they spend in nature on a continuous and consistent basis, directly influencing their mental and physical health for the better.
As you go through your day today, stop and ask yourself if you are at all exposed to nature and if not, find a way. Exposure to nature is vital to your overall health, well-being and happiness and is one of the easiest and fastest ways to make a difference in your own life.
* The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.