The positive impact of Nature in your life!

As the cheerleader for nature week, I have put together a few nuggets for you!  I will offer a handful of ideas of how to enjoy being in nature when you can’t get outside much. (I happen to live in Wisconsin and it’s a wee bit chilly) I’ve also included links to 2 articles which study the benefits of being in nature.

To begin, this article has a simple list of benefits for adults and kids.

http://source.southuniversity.edu/spending-time-in-nature-for-your-health-how-outdoor-activities-improve-wellbeing-102984.aspx

This brief article, “You Really Really ought to spend more time in nature,” offers more thoughts.  http://www.theguardian.com/news/oliver-burkeman-s-blog/2014/jan/21/spending-time-nature-mental-health

(There are is a ton of info online; these two articles keep it simple and are relatively brief.)

Here are some ways to enjoy benefits of nature when you just can’t get outside (followed by excerpts from articles):

Sit in the window and soak in the sun!  (I do this a lot!)

“The fresh air and sunlight have the largest benefits,” Preston says. “For example, with increased exposure to natural sunlight, incidents of seasonal affective disorder decrease. When individuals are exposed to natural sunlight, the vitamin D in their skin helps to elevate their moods.” 

Think about old times spent in nature.  Look at old photos if you can.

“Research has shown that people on wilderness excursions report feeling more alive and that just recalling outdoor experiences increases feelings of happiness and health.”

Breathe in essential oils from trees.

“Breathing in antimicrobial compounds found in the essential oils of trees increases relaxation and improves stress management resulting in increased vitality and less anxiety, depression, and anger. It also may decrease risk of psychosocial-stress related diseases.”

Get a plant! 

“’We have a natural connection with living things,’ says Ryan. ‘Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more a part of our lives is critical, especially when we live and work in built environments.’  These studies, concludes Ryan, underscore the importance of having access to parks and natural surroundings and of incorporating natural elements into our buildings through windows and indoor plants.”

Have a beautiful week,

Katie