Go Outside!
Whether the sun is shining and the air is warm, or the day is overcast and chilly, being outside in nature can change our attitudes, and our days. Being outside in a nature setting reduces stress and helps manage depressive symptoms.
Check out these studies:
*Research from scientists at Heriot-Watt University in the U.K. conducted mobile brain electrical activity testing on volunteers to find that the brain enters a meditative state when going through green spaces.
Subjects took a 25 minute walk in either a green space, a city shopping district, or down a busy street in the business district. Those who spent time in the green space felt as if they were in a meditative state, had less frustration, more long term excitement and engagement.
Researcher Jenny Roe described the meditative state like this: "It’s called involuntary attention in psychology. It holds our attention while at the same time allowing scope for reflection"
*Researchers in MI found that spending time in a nature experience (NE- an outdoor experience that creates contact with nature) significantly reduced the stress chemicals cortisol and alpha-amylase. Their subjects experienced this while walking, or sitting on a bench. The biggest benefits were seen after 20-30 minutes, but also occurred in as little as 10 minutes.
*In 1982, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries first coined the term shinrin yoku, which is often translated to ‘forest bathing’, and defined as ‘making contact with and taking in the atmosphere of the forest’.
In 2017, researchers conducted a review of studies and concluded that forest bathing is an effective therapy for depression.
If you have severe outdoor allergies, there is good news: scientists have found that staying inside, sitting and looking at nature through a window reduces stress and improves our mood.
Unwinder Challenge: Get Outside!
If you have 5 minutes:
Take a five minute break and just sit out in your backyard, on a bench outside your office building, or local park
Take a quick walk around the block of your home of workplace
Try this green noise video in the background as you work
Or this one (no creek sounds)
Schedule and plan a nature inspired trip
Find a window that looks onto grass, trees, water, etc. Sit in front of it and take in the scenery
If you have 10 minutes:
Take a ten minute break, sitting outside, listening to the sounds and looking at the trees, animals, etc
Take a short walk around the block
If you work from home, find a window that looks out at grass, trees, and green space and set up a workstation so that you can look out often
If you have 15 minutes or more:
Take your lunch outside when possible
Take a walk around your block, or at a local park
Set up a hammock near a wooded area, close your eyes and relax, read a book, or people watch
Go for a relaxed hike or walk on one of your city’s greenways
Resources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23467965/
The 5/10/15
Fuel, Energize, Unwind - on Your Time