Like many others at the height of COVID-19 lockdowns, I was suddenly working remotely, socially distancing from family and friends, and leaving the house only for trips to the grocery store. I craved the ability to get out and escape the overbearing presence screens had in my life.
That‘s when I discovered my love of camping. Weekend camping trips let me take advantage of the gorgeous freshwater springs, trails and nature preserves in my area.
I felt the difference almost immediately — out in the woods I wasn’t scrambling for my phone or thinking about work deadlines. My attention span seemed to lengthen and level out. I relaxed. I came home feeling rested and a little more cheerful, and these trips became a way to manage the stress of the pandemic.
Aside from a nice weekend getaway, what I was actually experiencing were the benefits of nature on my mental health — something researchers and healthcare providers have long noted.
“There are many studies that demonstrate how spending time in nature can improve mood, lower anxiety, and improve cognition and memory,” says Mayo Clinic nurse practitioner Jodie M. Smith, APRN., C.N.P., D.N.P., M.S.N. “Making time for nature is important in order for us to maintain resiliency and promote self-care in a world that demands a lot from us.”
Below, Smith discusses exactly why nature is so good for your mental health.
How does nature benefit mental health?
First and foremost, Smith says that nature can be an effective tool to manage stress.
“Stress stimulates our sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for increasing our blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar in order to react to a stimulus that is causing us stress,” says Smith.
And while not all stress is bad — for example, stress can motivate you to meet a work deadline or keep an eye on your kids at the pool — prolonged or chronic exposure to stress can chip away at your emotional and mental well-being.
But nature may be able to combat stress and its effects. For example, one study showed that exposure to nature can regulate the sympathetic nervous system in as little as five minutes.
“This means that we can get an almost immediate benefit from stepping outside,” says Smith. And doing so on a recurrent basis may prevent cumulative effects from stress, which could mean a lower risk for chronic disease, illness and mortality.”
Even for those without serious mental health conditions, nature may help you manage emotions like loneliness, irritability and possibly even road rage.
Finally, there is evidence that nature exposure is associated with better cognitive function — like memory, attention, creativity and sleep quality.
But perhaps the best part is that nature makes it easy to soak in these benefits.
“Being present in nature doesn’t ask or require anything of us, so it frees up our mind to think more deeply and clearly about things,” says Smith.
Next time you’re outside, take a moment to listen, touch, smell. Notice the environment around you and simply be present
Root Yourself in Nature
Walk barefoot in the grass. Go hug a tree, it will feed off your negative energy and recycle it into positive energy. Sit a while and listen to the birds. Nature knows how to raise energy effortlessly—follow her lead.
Wishing everyone a wonderful week....hope your weekend has been peaceful....Honoring our Men & Women who gave up there lives for us to live in Freedom...Hugs Lorribelle54
Once upon a time, there was a small town. There lived a man by himself who couldn’t see. He was blind. Yet, he carried a lighted lamp with him whenever he went out at night.
One night as he was coming home after having a dinner outside, he came across a group of young travellers. They saw that he was blind, yet carrying a lighted lamp. They started passing comments on him and made a fun of him. One of them asked him, “Hey Man! You are blind and can’t see anything! Why do you carry the lamp then?!”
The blind man replied, “Yes, unfortunately, I am blind and I can’t see anything but a lighted lamp which I am carrying is for the people like you who can see. You may not see the blind man coming and end up pushing me. That is why I carry a lighted lamp”.
The group of travellers felt ashamed and apologized for their behaviour.
Moral: We should think before judging others. Always be polite and learn to see things from others point of view.
1. Treat the Earth and all that dwell therein with respect 2. Remain close to the Great Spirit 3. Show great respect for your fellow beings 4. Work together for the benefit of all Mankind 5. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed 6. Do what you know to be right 7. Look after the well-being of Mind and Body 8. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater Good 9. Be truthful and honest at all times 10. Take full responsibility for your actions
“Wherever forests have not been mowed down, wherever the animal is recessed in their quiet protection, wherever the earth is not bereft of four-footed life – that to the white man is an ‘unbroken wilderness.’
But for us there was no wilderness, nature was not dangerous but hospitable, not forbidding but friendly. Our faith sought the harmony of man with his surroundings; the other sought the dominance of surroundings.
All life is a circle. The atom is a circle, orbits are circles, the earth, moon, and sun are circles. The seasons are circles. The cycle of life is a circle: baby, youth, adult, elder. The sun gives life to the earth who feeds life to the trees whose seeds fall to the earth to grow new trees. We need to practice seeing the cycles that the Great Spirit gave us because this will help us more in our understanding of how things operate. We need to respect these cycles and live in harmony with them.”
― Rolling Thunder
For us, the world was full of beauty; for the other, it was a place to be endured until he went to another world.
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