Spend Quality Time With Nature To Reduce Stress And Anxiety

Keep Outside in Mind for Less Stress

Spending time in nature can help relieve stress and anxiety, improve mood, and increase feelings of happiness and well-being. Whatever you call it, forest bathing, ecotourism, mindfulness in nature, green time or healing in nature, man evolved outside and your brain benefits from a visit to nature.

Going Out

Have you been feeling sad lately? A little lazy, stressed out, or perhaps wondering, "What is life?"

The answer to these two questions may be more closely related than you think.

Our modern way of life has changed drastically since the life of the Savannah, but our mind has largely remained the same. We still have a deep connection to nature, and research shows that if we don't nurture that connection, despite our technological advances, we can suffer in many ways.

Feel Better

If you can, get back to nature to re-energize your body and mind.

Depressed - When you feel sad, try to go to green and natural places. A walk in the woods helps with depression, and even the view of the forest from the hospital room helps patients who are feeling depressed. Head to the hills when you need a mood boost.

Stressed - Nature offers scenes that gently grab your attention rather than abruptly, calming your nerves rather than calming them.

Anxious - You probably know that exercise is good for your mood. But did you know that exercising in nature, among other benefits, also helps reduce anxiety, even more so than going to an indoor gym? Consider riding trails to get the best mental bang for your buck.

Self-Involved - If you're obsessed with your own problems and just can't stop, a walk in the meadow can slow down the train of thought swirling through your mind. Research shows that a 90-minute walk in nature reduces activity in the part of the brain associated with negative rumination.

Fatigued - Are you constantly multitasking at work when you switch from client to phone call or click on spreadsheet for presentation? Even at home, you may find yourself with a mix of kids, errands, and tools that are vying for your attention. Your prefrontal cortex can only handle so many distractions before it recharges.

Fortunately, time spent in nature has been shown to restore mental abilities such as short-term memory and drawing-based 3D image processing.

Uninspired - A change of scenery is a great way to unleash your creativity, and nature provides excitement that isn't found while staring at a screen. For example, spending four days in nature improved problem solving by 50%. If you can't find a way to tackle the next big project at work, or if you find obstacles in the way of your personal goals, try tackling it outside.

Antisocial - Time spent in nature can also help you with your personal relationships. Natural beauty translates into more prosaic behaviors, such as generosity and empathy.

Disconnected - One of the most basic human needs is to feel that you belong and are part of a larger tribe. But studies show that this concept extends beyond human relationships. Time spent in nature provides a sense of connectedness to the world, which is important for mental health.

Angsty - Sometimes you can feel lost and wonder what life is all about. A dose of fear can remind you how wonderful the world is. Nature offers trees that were hundreds of years old before you were born, tall mountains that touch the clouds and a sky full of countless stars. When it comes to awe-inspiring wonders, nature blows us away and rekindles the awareness that we are a small part of an incredible universe. What could be more powerful than that?