How Spending Time in Nature Can be Good for You

In their attempts to find the perfect work-family life balance, many people in the modern world have forgotten what it feels like to spend time in the lap of Mother Nature. Either surrounded by walls or exposed to the incessant honking of cars on the bustling roads, their lives are stressful and utterly devoid of the peace and quiet that the mind needs from time to time to contemplate, introspect, and reflect.

If you’re one of those people, this post is for you! In this post, we’ll tell you how reconnecting with nature can benefit you. Let’s get started!

1. Being in the vicinity of plants and trees boosts immunity

The stressful city life can pose a variety of health risks such as hypertension and heart disease and chronic stress can also lower the body’s immune response, making you prone to all sorts of infections. However, as surprising as it may sound, if you spend enough time near plants and trees, your immune function may be significantly boosted.

In January 2010, scientists in Japan conducted an experiment on 280 Japanese individuals. On day one, the experiment involved half of the volunteers to engage in the therapeutic practice of “forest bathing”, while the other half was instructed to spend time walking through an area of the city. On day two, the roles were reversed.

The scientists concluded the experiment with some startling results. It was found that the individuals who “forest bathed” had lower levels of cortisol than those who spent time in the city. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced when the body experiences stress and goes into the ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. The “forest bathers” also had lower blood pressure and lower pulse rate.

Plants and trees are known to emit certain airborne chemicals known as ‘phytoncides’ to protect themselves from insects and rotting. Scientists believe that spending time in nature can lead to humans enjoying the benefits of these chemicals as well.

2. Staying out in the sun aids in creating vitamin D

If you decide to take a nature walk on a clear, cloudless, and sunny day, you wouldn’t just be spending time near plants and trees; you’d also be exposing yourself to sunlight. This is known to facilitate vitamin D production in the body.

Individuals who lack vitamin D can suffer from numerous health issues like poor gut health, low bone strength, sleep deprivation, and heart disease. However, if you let your body’s vitamin D requirements be taken care of by the sun, you’ll naturally become healthier and you’ll sleep better as well.

When spending time in the sun, you must remember not to overexpose yourself, as too much sunlight can have certain negative effects. If you’re light-skinned, 10 minutes in the sun every day should be sufficient. If you’re dark-skinned, it’s recommended that you spend at least 15 – 20 minutes for the sunlight to weave its magic within you. 🌞

3. Spending time in nature enhances creativity

A 2012 study conducted by a cognitive/clinical psychology professor at the University of Kansas showed that spending time in nature boosts creativity significantly. The Remote Associates Test, a standard creativity test, was given to 60 backpackers before they started hiking. A second group of 60 backpackers was also asked to take the test, but this time, they had to take it four days into hiking.

The results showed that the latter group performed 50% better than the former. Ruth Ann Atchley, the professor who spearheaded the study, said that the astounding results were mostly down to the fact that human minds tend to feel at ease in nature. As the stress levels drop, human minds automatically become more imaginative and more capable in terms of their problem-solving abilities.

So, remember to spend as much time as you can every day amid nature. You don’t need to go on multi-day hikes. Just go to your nearest park for a stroll and that should be enough to make a telling difference.