3 Ways Nature Can Benefit Our Mental Health

Have you ever taken a walk in the park and felt the instinct to take a deep breath in? Has the sun beaming down warmly on your face ever lifted your mood? It’s not just you! Studies have shown that “that contact with nature is associated with increases in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress.”

Having contact with, and connectedness to the natural world, helps us even when we’re not outside. Connectedness with nature is when we use nature to define part of our identity, which studies have shown increases our overall contentedness with life. 

Contact with nature can not only improve our mood, but have lasting positive effects on our mental and physical health. Here are three ways it can benefit your mental health:

1. Being in Nature Ignites the Senses

Your senses are directly connected to your mental health. Our senses give us a direct path to being present in the moment, and when you’re present in nature, you’re absorbing the positive experience felt through your senses. Walking with feet on soft, warm grass, letting your hands follow along the bark of a tree, smelling flowers, listening to the birds sing and even getting dirt under your fingernails can have a restorative effect on our minds and bodies. When you literally connect with the natural world, you feel a sense of relaxation, calm and peace, which can help lower stress and give us a memory to lean on when we need to find that peace again.

2. It Lowers the Risk of Mental Illness 

Studies show that interaction with nature can help reduce the risk and effects of some mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression and ADHD. It increases our happiness and helps give us a sense of purpose in life. Adversely, children who weren’t exposed to green space had a 55% higher chance of developing mental illness than children who were. Interaction with nature can also improve our sleep, which can lead to a positive impact on stress levels and the effects of existing mental illness.

3. It Helps Us Feel Less Isolated

Loneliness is a major risk factor for the development of mental distress and illness. Research shows that it can increase our risk of death by 45%. But being in nature, especially in a park or a greenway system, can help us feel like we’re a part of something bigger and collective. We can form an attachment to the area and are given opportunities for social interaction, both which boost mood and lower mental distress. 

Luckily, you don’t need to hike a mountain or walk on the beach to experience the benefits of being outdoors! Simply going to a local park, walking in your neighborhood or even sitting in your backyard can help us feel connected to nature.

If you’re still feeling down and need a helping hand, reach out to us and schedule an appointment!