We have a natural connection with living things. Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more part of our lives is critical.
Spending time outdoors has a number of benefits towards our health. Mother nature has an amazing ability to heal us. Studies have shown that these benefits can be obtained by spending time in nature regularly.
As little time as 20-30 minutes a day spent in a natural setting has shown the highest drop in our cortisol levels. Cortisol also known as the stress hormone in high levels can cause memory loss and brain shrinkage.
A 50-minute walk in nature can improve the ability to concentrate and focus. It improves memory and attention span by 20%. This helps in the recalling ability of information. The University of Melbourne has conducted studies that have found that looking at a greenery image during the break from a task improves focus and performance of the task.
Modern lifestyle has ensured that people spend around 8 to 10 hours looking at screens daily. This leads to fatigue as well as burnout. To combat this spending time in greenery and sunlight is needed. When more time is spent in nature, it increases the creativity levels in humans.
Studies have shown that a walk in nature can decrease the activity of the prefrontal cortex. It allows the lowering of depressive thoughts created by the prefrontal cortex ruminating on repetitive negative thoughts. Nature boosts energy and makes one feel alive when they spend time in nature.
The circadian rhythm of the body controls our sleep cycles. Sunlight has an effect on the circadian rhythm, therefore spending time in nature allows us to regulate sleeping patterns. Studies have shown that “Green Exercise” or exercising outdoors lower diastolic pressure more than when exercising indoors.
Therefore, it is evident that spending time in nature can help heal humans. We are blessed to be living in a world filled with many wonders of nature that many have access to therefore we should spend more time in nature and reap its benefits.