The majesty of nature is not only reflected in its beauty, but also in many benefits for the physical and mental health of people. If just looking at pictures of nature encourages positive thinking and optimism, imagine how real contact with nature affects us. It’s no wonder that bedtime tunes always contain the sounds of nature – rain, the ocean, or a flowing river.
The peace and relaxation that nature brings is the key to reducing stress, which is the trigger of many diseases. Staying in nature restores our mood, energy, and vitality, refreshes, and rejuvenates us. That’s why nature walks are essential and fantastic.
Nature’s Pill
If we live in the city and don’t have many opportunities to go to the mountains or the countryside, it will mean a lot to us to spend time in a local park between buildings, as well as in any place where a tree grows, because it will have an effect on health.
It is a well-known fact that we all feel relaxed and beautiful in nature. The sounds of the forest, the smell of the trees, sunlight breaking through the leaves, and fresh and clean air – give us a sense of comfort. At the same time, they reduce our stress and anxiety and help us relax and think more clearly.
According to Robert Ulrich and his study, the patients with the view of trees tolerated pain better, appeared to nurses to have fewer negative effects, and spent less time in a hospital. More recent studies have shown similar results with scenes from nature and plants in hospital rooms.
Forest Therapy
“Stressful states can be relieved by forest therapy,” concluded researchers. Forest therapy reduces anxiety, tension, anger, panic attacks, fear, moodiness, depression, and confusion and leads to improved mood, calming of the body and psyche, reduction of depressive symptoms, and increased motivation.
A tradition that is known in ancient Japan as “shinri-yoku,” or “bathing in the forest air,” is a natural method for boosting immunity and reducing stress. “Shinrin” means “forest” in Japanese, and “yoku” means “bath”. Literally translated, shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere or consuming the forest through our senses.
A walk in the woods leads to more parasympathetic nerve activity and lower sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate. That means we are happier and more relaxed. Interacting with nature can improve cognition for children with attention deficits (Taylor and Kuo, 2009) and individuals with depression (Berman et al., 2012).
The more we are connected to nature, the more likely nature is to protect us. It is important that we nurture this relationship and pass it on to our children.
Encourage Your Offspring To Green Exercise
Nature walks can be a fun way of prising your children away from the TV, computer games, and social media. If you make nature walks exciting for kids, they won’t be bored or moody and the whole family can enjoy adventures in nature.
Nature creates a unique sense of wonder for children – that no other environment can provide. Phenomena that occur naturally in nature every day make children ask questions about the earth and life around us. They exercise their imagination here as much as their bodies.
Children who play outside have longer attention spans, tolerate frustration better, and do better in school. Also, by encouraging your child to explore his surroundings and make new discoveries, you will help him develop self-confidence and trust in his own abilities.
