How Nature Influences Mental Health

Have you ever planned to have a great day outside only to be stuck inside because of the rain? Weather can easily influence your mood, for better or worse. Maybe you love the rain and you decide to come up with a completely different plan for the day, or maybe you get discouraged and cope another way. Weather, fresh air, and sunlight are all influential when it comes to the state of our mental health. Something as simple as going for a walk after work can help you release some stress from the day, leave work at work, and go home without worrying about your projects and tasks.

Nature and mindfulness often go hand in hand, for good reason! When we experience stress, sadness, frustration, and other emotions that leave us feeling less than joyful, we may have a tendency to get tunnel vision. The lens with which you view the world can become clouded with negativity, making it difficult to see the bigger picture. Engaging with nature can dramatically influence your mental health and help you find more ways to get out of your head and into your environment. Another benefit of engaging with nature and practicing mindfulness is enhanced focus and awareness. Being stuck inside and scrolling on your phone may potentially diminish your focus and attention span. Try going outside without your phone, or with your phone on silent to find a balance with your focus.

Sunlight

Sunlight is a natural source of vitamin D. Depending on where you live and your genetic predisposition, you may be at risk of having a vitamin D deficiency. This can cause issues with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression, and anxiety disorders. Some notable benefits of sun exposure are improved mood, improved resilience, increased serotonin, higher quality sleep, and lower blood pressure. Think of yourself as a houseplant with a conscious mind. You need water, sunlight, and the right environment to thrive. Between 10 and 20 minutes of sunlight, a few times a week can make a positive impact on your mental health. Just remember to wear sunscreen and reapply if you’ll be out in the sun for a while.

Spending Time with Nature

It may be helpful to think of nature as a friend. What does nature do to support you? How can you support nature? Maybe you have mutual friends like calmness, joy, creativity, tranquility, and peace. The next time you have some free time on a nice day, consider inviting them all to a picnic or suggest that they join you on a walk. You can plan to do things together, like reading, meditating, exercising, or doing something creative. Nature may also be one of those friends who you can just be with. No pressure, no stress, just existence. By building a healthy relationship with nature, we can make engaging with nature part of our routines instead of a chore.

Doing your part to support nature is another facet of this relationship. Leave only footprints, not litter. Take experiences, feelings, and other people’s litter with you, but try not to disturb nature while you’re visiting. It may seem like a stretch, but forming a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship with nature will teach you lessons about life, the world, and especially yourself.

Easy Ways to Incorporate Nature into Your Routine

There are many different ways that you can include nature in your life. If you’re feeling stagnant or like you need a hobby, try getting a houseplant. Doing so can help you add something to your routine and be more mindful of your surroundings. Some other benefits are better air quality, increased sense of caring and nurturing, and long-term benefits when your plants thrive all thanks to you! If you have pets or small children, be sure to do research about houseplants and find what plants are a good fit for your home. This is a good alternative for folks who are allergic to many things in nature. By bringing it into your home, you get to choose plants that you don’t have to be uncomfortable with.

Go for a walk first thing in the morning, during lunch, after work, or at any time that is convenient for you. The pandemic has led to a lot of stagnation and many people are leading more sedentary lifestyles. This can be harmful to our physical and mental health. Making time for fresh air and exercise is essential to our physical and emotional functioning. You can even make this into a fun activity by exploring different parks, trails, and other areas you’d like to visit. Getting out of your comfort zone and exploring other environments can lead to stress reduction, a greater sense of self, and may even expand your worldview.

Review more nature-related media. If you have limitations when it comes to accessing nature, try to consume more media that involves nature. Watch a documentary about national parks, listen to soundscapes like rain or birds singing. There are many guided meditations that involve relaxing nature sounds. These have been shown to improve focus and elicit positive emotions.

The Mental Health Foundation has a lot to say about nature’s benefits for our mental health. Check out their nature research to learn about findings from COVID-19 research and other research about nature and our mental health. Nature is essential to our health and wellbeing, so be a houseplant. Drink water, get sunlight and work on making your environment a place where you can thrive.

This post was written by Shannon France, MS, MHC-LP, and published by Mandevilla Mental Health Counseling, PLLC