A major component of stress management is being out in nature. Research shows that the relaxing effect of being in the great outdoors creates many beneficial changes in our bodies, from reduced blood pressure and heart disease, promotion of cancer-fighting cells and reduced symptoms of ADHD to improved concentration, memory and sleep. Spending just ten to fifteen minutes in nature slows down our brain waves, heart rate and breathing and allows blood pressure to drop as the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline are reduced.
A weekly half-hour walk in a park can help people get their hypertension under control, and a walk in nature for ninety minutes has been found to dramatically reduce anxiety and depression. People who spend just two hours in nature a week are reported to have much better mental and physical health than those who do not. Evidence suggests that regular access to greenery lowers the risk of mood disorders, neuroses and stress-related issues and that more exposure to nature during childhood reduces the risk of mental health issues in later years.
Being near the water has particularly calming effects, with "blue spaces" such as the sea, rivers, lakes and waterfalls being extremely beneficial to health. The book 'Blue Mind' by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols highlights studies showing that people who live near water are significantly happier overall, with lower levels of stress and anxiety, as well as lower heart and breathing rates.
A key reason is that the negative ions from moving water have amazing therapeutic benefits, including elevating our mood by increasing serotonin (the happy hormone), improving energy levels by giving us a boost of oxygen, purifying our blood, balancing the autonomic nervous system, promoting deep sleep and healthy digestion, as well as enhancing our immune function and clearing the air of allergens and pollution. The power of water is so amazing that aquatic therapists even use it to help post-traumatic-stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, addiction, autism and more.
Neuroscientists advocate spending time in nature as an important ingredient for brain health because it boosts cognitive function and creativity. The health benefits of nature are irrefutable—our nervous systems are simply designed to be in the natural world.
Spending time in nature can also lower social stress by reducing hostility and increasing our inclination to be more generous and helpful towards others. A study by the University of California found that people who spend just one minute staring up at a tall grove of trees reported a feeling of awe and wonder, after which they were more likely to help a stranger than people who looked at tall buildings. The study concluded that when we are tuning in to something larger than ourselves, people feel less selfish and entitled and are consequently more heartfelt and generous.
Experiencing moments of appreciation for the natural world has also been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and thus lower the risk of chronic disease. Urban planners are now being encouraged to pay more attention to green spaces as a way of increasing quality of life for city-dwellers, with studies finding that the greener the city, the healthier and happier its citizens.
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