Most people enjoy spending time outdoors. Perhaps you like to go to the beach and bask in the sun or revel in the sheer power of the ocean. Maybe you like the mountains–the big trees, the clear, running streams. Or maybe you enjoy the desert. Whatever your preference, you probably have found that being out in nature makes you feel better, but did you know that spending time in nature is actually good for your health?
The idea that nature confers health benefits is not new. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician who is considered the founder of medicine, claimed that, “Nature itself is the best physician.” Modern science affirms Hippocrates’ assertion.
Physical and Mental Benefits of Spending Time in Nature
A study conducted in England, published in 2019, found that spending at least 120 minutes per week in nature had health benefits. Interestingly, the study found that it didn’t matter if the subjects spent a large block of time outside or if the time spent was in more frequent, shorter chunks of time. Moreover, researchers at the University of Queensland concluded that spending just 30 minutes in a natural environment lowered blood pressure by up to nine percent and reduced depression by seven percent.
A recent article in WebMD enumerated several benefits of spending time outside:
- Increases the odds that you’ll get some exercise
- Exposure to the sun provides vitamin D
- Lessens anxiety because being outside increases serotonin levels
- Improves sleep because light helps to keep your body’s internal clock functioning properly
- Sharpens your focus, which is great if you have ADHD
- Improves your immune system because plants release phytonocides into the air which boosts the immune system and sunlight is good for T cells, which fight infection
- Strengthens your creative problem-solving abilities
- Aids in weight management because light (especially morning light) helps to balance sleep and energy output
Brain Benefits of Nature
As stated above, spending time outside in the sunlight increases the levels of serotonin in your brain. Increased serotonin can help guard against depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and overall can give your mood a boost. A study conducted at Chiba University in Japan examined the effects of walking in the forest compared with walking in an urban environment. The forest-walking group showed a 16% decrease in cortisol levels. This group also had a two percent drop in blood pressure and a four percent drop in their heart rates. In Japan, spending time in forests is thought to be so beneficial that the Japanese language has a term for it: shinrin yoku, or “forest bathing.”
In Korea, researchers used functional MRIs to observe brain activity in people looking at different images. The group that looked at urban images showed increased blood flow in the area of the brain associated with anxiety and fear, while the group that was shown nature imagery showed increased activity in the part of the brain associated with empathy and altruism. At Stanford University a study showed that people who walked in nature for 90 minutes had decreased activity in the part of the brain associated with “depressive rumination,” or the tendency to beat themselves up. And researchers at the University of Michigan found that taking a 50-minute walk in the university’s arboretum led to improved executive functioning skills.
Nature in Substance Abuse Recovery
Therapist Sarah Benton, writing in Psychology Today, discusses the role of nature in recovering from a substance use disorder (SUD). She says that balance is one of the keys to recovery. Because our current society is filled with technology and electronics, she says that it’s important to counteract this by spending time in nature. Participating in activities like camping, hiking, backpacking, and the like can give people a sense of confidence in their abilities, which can in turn give them confidence to maintain their sobriety. In addition, because many people find spending time in nature to be a spiritual experience, doing so can be seen as a way of honoring the 11th Step in the 12-Step tradition: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”
Easy Ways to Include Nature in Your Life
If you want to spend more time in nature, which is good for everyone but especially people with mental health issues or in recovery, an easy way to do this is to take your exercise routine outside. Many people enjoy being in or around water, so spend time at the beach, lake, or river. If you like to hike you could join the Sierra Club or the Audubon Society, which would also be a good way to avoid isolation. Play with your children outside, take the dog for a walk, or saddle up a horse and go for a ride.
You can also make nature a bigger part of your life at home. Plant a garden or spend some time working on your home’s landscape. Display potted plants or floral arrangements in your home, or grow some herbs in your kitchen. Hang artwork featuring your favorite nature scenes, or listen to nature sounds. All of these can lower your stress level, which will be good for your mental health and your recovery.
Spending time in nature can play an important role in treating mental health issues or an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Promising Outlook is an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment center located in Riverside, California, offering both one-on-one and group counseling. Through its comprehensive program based on the 12-Step philosophy, the staff at Promising Outlook focuses on treating the whole patient. An individualized treatment plan is developed for each client with the goal of addressing the trauma and mental health issues that frequently underpin substance abuse. The clinical treatment modalities offered include cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness based stress reduction, motivational interviewing, and psychotherapy. In addition, Promising Outlook is one of the few treatment centers to offer classes in anger management. Programs are offered for men and women aged 18 and up. If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, call (951) 783-2487.
