The Link Between Nature and Health

The link between nature and health

Getting outside on a sunny day can instantly improve your mood, but why is that? Because there is a strong connection between our health and time spent in nature. Read on to learn about nature’s positive benefits.

Do you know that feeling of calm that comes from a walk on a beautiful day? The sound of birds in the trees. The gentle sun on your face. The beauty of greenery around you. It turns out all of these things positively contribute to your overall health.

Nature is proven to impact both our mental and physical health so, what are some things that might happen when you step outside?

Reduce stress and anxiety
Turns out nature is actually therapeutic. The calming sounds outside–even if it’s just silence–can help lower levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. The beauty of nature can also help interrupt negative thoughts and distract you from worrying.

Improve heart health
In connection with reduced stress, walking outside can produce positive benefits on your cardiovascular health. The soothing scenery of green spaces can lower your blood pressure and reduce hypertension, which can help prevent heart disease.

Improve focus
When was the last time you stepped away from your screen to solve a big problem at work? It turns out that green spaces may actually help restore your concentration and stimulate creative thinking, which could help you be more productive. There’s even research that suggests time in nature may reduce symptoms of ADHD.

Promote happiness
Have you ever had trouble hiding your smile on a sunny day? Nature is proven to boost endorphin levels and the production of the “feel good” hormone, dopamine. This means being out in nature can actually promote happiness. In fact, people who spend more time in nature are also shown to have greater life satisfaction.

There’s plenty of research that supports the many benefits of nature on our health, so get out there and get active. Just 20 to 30 minutes in nature a couple times a week can help relax you and prepare you to take on whatever your day throws at you.

originally posted at https://www.natureswaycanada.ca/HealthyLiving/Le-lien-entre-la-nature-et-la-sante and used with permission