The Benefits of Nature
We’ve all been there; long hours on the job, constant notifications, and too much screen time leading to an inevitable burnout. According to a study sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends 93% of his or her time indoors. But the good news is, while the effects of burnout tend to build up over the course of days, weeks, or months, the cure can be as simple as time away from digital devices, or a healing trip to nature.
What does the science say?
We’ve probably all heard the saying “If you’re in a bad mood, go for a walk”, and here at Tentsile we’ve been long time proponents for the benefits of the great outdoors, but is there any science to back up these claims?
Well luckily the science is on Mother Earth’s side too, Numerous studies have been conducted showing that shinrin-yoku (Japanese for ‘Forest-bathing’) has real health benefits. It's said in Japanese studies that people who spend time in the forest inhale beneficial bacteria, plant-based essential oils, and negatively charged ions.
Another undeniable physical benefit of spending time in the outdoors is the opportunity to soak up some vitamin D. Deficiency in this essential vitamin can lead to symptoms such as muscle pain, bone pain, and an overall increased sensitivity to pain. Although vitamin D is present in some foods, like salmon and fortified milk, we get more than 90 percent of our required vitamin D from casual exposure to sunlight.
Simply taking a regular walk in the outdoors will help keep our bodies topped up with vitamin D. As an added bonus, the further we get from cities and traffic the cleaner our air supply tends to become, as well as providing a plethora of anatomical benefits!
Mental Health Benefits
It’s not just our physical health that benefits from being in the outdoors. Everyone at some point has ‘taken a walk to clear their head’, but the fact is we see a huge benefit to our mental health when we spend time in nature.
At the very least, a walk in nature tends to put a smile on our faces. It gives us time to think, space from our problems, and a calm environment to find inner peace. However, there are serious applications in therapy and counselling that use the natural benefits of the great outdoors to our advantage.
Used to treat a range of conditions, from those struggling with PTSD or trauma, or helping individuals manage stress and anxiety, Outdoor Therapy takes counselling and therapy out of a treatment room and into the great outdoors. Those taking part may find the outdoors to be a more relaxing environment than traditional therapy locations, or that the simple act of doing something active while talking helps them to open up more, removing some of the falsely perceived stigma a lot of individuals hold about their own mental health and letting someone help them.
Therapy aside, the great outdoors also makes us more creative individuals. Psychologists found that backpackers scored 50 percent higher on creativity tests after spending a few days in the wild without electronics. It’s also been found that exposure to nature helps us shrug off societal pressures, allowing us to remember and value more important things like relationships, sharing, and community - making us better people.
Conclusion
While technology and our beloved personal devices are an undeniable part of our everyday lives, we can have breaks without them, and breaks into nature. Whether we choose to undertake an extended off grid adventure, or a simple walk around the park with our phone on silent, the benefits for our long-term health and wellbeing are undeniable, scientifically backed up, and easy to achieve.
As a Tree Tent company we’re always going to advise people to head out with our products into the wild, but you can start simple with just a daily or weekly trip to the local park. No matter how you enjoy your time in nature, you can enjoy it knowing you’re doing your body a world of good too.
