5 Important Ways Nature and Mental Health Are Connected
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. For more information, please read the full disclosure here.
Whether you’re a nature lover or more of an indoor gal, we can all benefit from spending time outdoors. There are lots of activities you can do outside, and this post is going to give you the low down on all of the mental health benefits of nature. So keep reading for everything you need to know about how nature and mental health are connected.
Research has grown recently in this space, called ecotherapy, or the formal treatment of mental disorders through outdoor activities.
This research has found that spending time in nature has numerous mental health benefits from stress relief to finding perspective.
And I can also say from personal experience that every time I spend time outside or go on a camping weekend, I feel so renewed and refreshed.
Use the benefits in this post and the outdoor activity ideas to inspire you to add some more nature to your weekly routine.
Outdoor activities to help you connect nature and mental health
- Walks
- Read a book
- Go on a picnic
- Hiking
- Camping
- Meditate
- Go on a bike ride
- Sit under a tree
- Enjoy a cup of tea
- Running
- Kayaking
- Swimming
- Horseback riding
How often do you need to be outdoors to see an impact?
You might be wondering how often you actually need to spend outside in order to see the mental health impact of being in nature.
With any tool that you use to manage mental health, it depends on the individual person. However, in general spending 20-30 minutes outside a few times a week is a good goal.
Any effort to make it a regular part of your weekly routine should help you reap the benefits of spending time outdoors.
This post is going to describe the 5 important ways nature and mental health are connected.
1. Reduce stress
Spending time in nature has calming effects and can help you reduce stress. Nature allows you to mentally get space from your stressors. and helps you find peace.
Nature is also a quieter space than an urban or cluttered environment so you are better able to clear your mind of worries.
2. Improve mood
Another one of the ways that nature and mental health are connected is improved mood. Spending time in nature can lift your spirits and reduce negative thoughts. Overall, it can help you harness a more optimistic outlook on life, even during times of stress.
3. Find sense of calm
Nature will also help you find a send of calm. Nature is quiet and peaceful, allowing you to find that inner zen.
It is also a good opportunity to unplug from technology. Taking time away from your screens, social media feeds, etc. is a great way give your mind a rest.
4. Discover inspiration
Spending time in nature will help you get out of your daily routine and packed schedule where you run from meeting to meeting.
This can help you find inspiration in the beauty of the outdoors. Nature is constantly changing day by day, season by season. That means every time you spend time outside you will see new things and have an opportunity to get inspired.
5. Manage anxiety and depression
The last ways that nature and mental health are connected is that it can help you manage anxiety and depression.
Research has shown that spending time in nature fosters mindfulness and gratitude.
Additionally, spending time outside often promotes physical activity like walking, running, hiking, biking, etc. Exercise releases endorphins and helps decrease depression.
For more information on the mental health benefits of exercise, read more here.
Those are the 5 important ways that nature and mental health are connected
With all of these mental health benefits of spending time in nature, I know you’re probably itching to get outside more. But sometimes time, weather, etc. can get in the way of that.
You can also utilize some tools to bring the outdoors inside as well.
Ways to bring the outdoors inside
Sound machine
Using a sound machine to bring nature sounds into your home can help you reap the mental health benefits of nature from the comfort of your living space.
I use this sound machine every single day while I sleep, and I love it! It has a bunch of great sounds from rain to thunder to a summer night.
As a former “fall asleep to Netflix addict”, I can definitely say this sound machine has helped me improve my sleep and help me find the sense of calm that I feel when I go camping.
Open the windows
Another way to bring the outdoors inside is to open the windows and bring in some fresh air!
Keep the blinds open during the day to let natural light in and open the window so you can feel the fresh air and hear the sounds of the outdoors.
Nature videos
Another way that I love to bring the outdoors inside is to listen to ambient sounds with nature scenes while I write or do chores. There are a lot of great videos on YouTube you can use,
Here is one of my favorites:
Candles
If you want to bring some of the beautiful and relaxing scents of nature into your home, a great way to do this is with candles.
For all of my favorite candle recommendations, read more here.
House plants
The last way to bring the outdoors inside is by getting some house plants! House plants not only literally bring nature inside, but they are also a great way to increase the oxygen in the environment and feel more relaxed.
Use the mental health benefits and ideas in this post to find inspiration to add more nature to your weekly routine.
Comment below with your favorite outdoor activity!
3 Comments