Nature Therapy: Can Nature Really Help Heal You?

Unfortunately, we are living in an indoor world. We rarely get outside much. We sit in our homes on social media, watching TV, and sleeping. We sit inside our cars on our commute to work, then we sit in an office until it’s time to go home and sit inside there. For many, we spend most of our time sitting somewhere indoors. According to “The National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS)” the average American spends 93 percent of their time inside a building or their vehicle; that means we only spend 7 percent of our time outside. That’s probably when we are going to or from a building or vehicle. It should be the other way around. Unfortunately, in today's age most of us do not have the luxury of spending that much time in the outdoors.

Our ancestors spent their time outside, working in a garden, farm, fishing, etc. They lived in the “outside”. Thankfully, for some of us, we can use technology to our advantage. Yes, we must get our work done; but, do we really HAVE to be inside? We can use technology to our advantage. I know when I was in college, I would take my laptop to the park and do my work there. It was my way of getting outdoors and at the same time getting my much-needed papers written. It was nice taking a break here and there to watch the squirrels chase each other around a tree, hear the birds call to one another and feel that gentle breeze of the wind across my face. I often took a lunch with me and through my shoes off the second I hit that picnic table. I still do that to this day. We may not be able to break away completely from our computers, due to the work we must complete; however, we can (at times) do both at the same time. I opt for a take your work outside day and see how it makes you feel.

If we do not get outside very often and spend most of our time indoors it can have a negative effect on our well-being. Participating in The Blue Zones Project can help you learn ways to get outside, eat healthy and socialize with friends. National Geographic completed a documentary on the Blue Zones around the world. The Interview with Stamatis Moraitis happens to be one of my favorites.

Benefits of Being in Nature

There are several benefits to getting back into nature. You can learn more about the 11 scientific reasons you should be spending more time outside from this Business Insider article. Nature can be great for stress relief and improve your physical and mental health. You may hear some people call it ecotherapy or green therapy; many psychologists are now prescribing outdoor activities to their clients to help with mental dysfunctions, stress, and overall mental well-being. Nature plays a huge role in in helping clear our minds from the daily grind. Going for a walk (without headphones or talking on the phone) can help you awaken your senses get back in touch with the true you, the spiritual side of you, and cultivate a holistic balance between you and the universe.

Research shows that spending more time in nature can in fact reduce levels of the key stress hormone cortisol. Just simply listening to the sounds of nature, seeing the different colors, and experiencing everything around you can have a very soothing effect on the mind, body, and spirit. Not only are you getting in touch with yourself and nature you get exercise to boot.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station “people who walk 15 to 30 minutes a day are healthier than people who don’t—they have fewer diseases, are less likely to get cancer, have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, and have better bone density.” Other positive effects include stabilized blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, improved digestion, and can reduce insulin dependency for those with type II diabetes. It has also been found to reduce the risk of some cancers.

Grounding or Centering

Take off your shoes and get barefoot. Having our feet and/or body connect to the earth itself can re-energize you. Studies have shown that when we connect to the energy field of the earth we become more balanced. If you think about it there are electrical impulses running through our bodies at all times. There are also electrical impulses in the earth and when we connect ourselves with the earth it can affect the energy fields in our own bodies. Grounding, Centering, or earthing studies show the science behind it and provides physical proof about how our connection with the earth effects our bodies. It has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve mood, improve sleep, and some studies have shown it to be helpful with short term memory and even dementia. If we make time to regularly ground ourselves in the electromagnetic field of the planet by bare-footing it or sitting on the ground, we can restore our connection with the earth and universe. Try this for at least 30 minutes a day and see if you don’t start feeling better physically and mentally.

We must make a conscious effort to commit to getting outside each day. If you just simply can’t unplug, take that laptop outside. Get out on the porch, take it to the park, or just sit on the ground outside your home. That way you are “killing 2 birds with one stone” as they say. Now, I DO NOT condone killing any living creature in anyway. However, I did grow up in a strong hunting and fishing family. Being that we come from a large Cherokee background on both sides we have always held the belief that if you kill it you eat it. We believe in respecting nature and all living creatures.

Get out, take a walk, pay attention to the world around you, and appreciate all the universe has given us. Sit or meditate in nature. I have a park near my home and there is this huge rock sitting near a duck pond. I simply love sitting on that big rock and meditating, listening to the ducks’ swim around and the birds talking to each other. There is just something about being outside that is so healing. If you want to socialize while outside, try finding a local group in your area. In know where I live we have kayaking groups, foraging groups, hiking, running, and walking groups to name a few. If you don’t have a group in your area you could even start your own group. Most of all, have fun with it and do what you enjoy the most.