Nature & Mental Health
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme for 2021 is nature. Regularly spending time in nature has an amazing affect on mental health. It’s been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and the link to exercise means that your physical health can feel the benefits too.
In this post, I’ll explain some of the ways that nature can support our mental health and wellbeing, and offer some tips for reconnecting with nature more regularly.
Swapping screens for fresh air
I can’t be the only person who’s found that their screen time has absolutely sky-rocketed during the pandemic, and be thinking it’s time to significantly reduce it! I’ve been working with more clients online, and most of my business tasks such as admin and marketing get done on my laptop. This means that I’m drawn to spending considerably more time staring at a screen than can be considered healthy. The artificial light from screens is shown to keep our brains overstimulated and unable to “power down”, and I find that my eyes feel tired if I’ve spent the day looking at screens.
One of the unhelpful patterns I’m working to unlearn is telling myself that I “don’t have enough time” during my lunch break to get outside for a walk. What I actually mean is that I’m used to deferring to looking at screens - and often just mindlessly scrolling! - during my break, and doing so takes up more time than I’m consciously aware of. I’ll also often eat my lunch while continuing to work on my laptop because it seems more “efficient” than taking a complete break away from it, so getting outside is on my priority list.
Personally, I love spending time in places near to water, especially by the sea. I’m fortunate that my office is in Hull’s Old Town and close to the Marina with a path that runs alongside the Humber estuary. I like to walk along it during my lunch break to get some fresh air and clear my head, and I always feel refreshed afterwards. Finding a place that inspires and refreshes you will help to motivate you to go out and enjoy it, even if it’s only for a short break, and the more motivated you feel, the more inclined you’ll be to do so regularly.
Increasing creativity & productivity
Time in nature can also boost creativity and levels of productivity. If you feel stuck on a problem, overwhelmed, stressed and / or anxious, getting outside in the fresh air will help to clear your head. Even a mere 5 minutes outside can improve your mood and restore energy, but sometimes it can be difficult to bring yourself to even go outside. Opening a window or door to let some fresh air in can still be beneficial, and doing so might encourage you take a few minutes outside.
I like to look around with more awareness and notice what stands out to me when I’m outside. Colours, light, shapes and sounds can all inspire and connect with me in ways that spark a different way of thinking about things. I might see a cloud in a shape that connects with me, and take a photograph to capture the moment and hold on to the inspiration that comes with it.
The impact on wellbeing
Most people are spending a lot more time indoors, and technology and indoor furnishings are increasingly geared towards making indoor spaces more appealing. This is shown to have a significant impact on our overall health and wellbeing, and most adults in the UK aren’t getting enough regular exercise. During the lockdowns, more people reported taking advantage of the time they could take to exercise outside, and it will be interesting to see if getting outdoors continues to be the favoured choice for exercise as we emerge from Covid.
Numerous studies have shown the importance of sleep for our emotional and physical health. It’s during sleep that our cells can repair any physical damage, and our brains can process and store our memories and emotions of the day. We need to spend enough time in natural light to support our circadian rhythm (the process that manages our sleep-wake cycles), and doing so will help to improve the quality of sleep too. If you’re spending a lot of time indoors, try to sit near a window that lets lots of light in, as this will help to regulate your sleep cycle.
If you find it difficult to wake up and / or fall asleep during the winter months when there’s less daylight, you might benefit from a wake-up light alarm clock. These can be used as a standard alarm clock, but there are also settings for a light that will gradually become brighter or dimmer to mimic a sunrise / sunset. This can help to regulate your circadian rhythm, and make it easier to wake up or fall asleep, even in mid-winter.
Time in nature is often associated with feelings of calm, peace and wonder, and many people find that they more optimistic and resilient as a result. Wild and cold water swimming have become increasingly popular, and research indicates that it can help to reduce depression. Many therapists are beginning to incorporate nature as part of their practice, whether through ‘walk-and-talk’ sessions, simply moving the session outdoors, or bringing the natural world indoors. Ecotherapy is becoming more widely available, with nature being a kind of ‘co-therapist’ that can encourage deeper healing, and a powerful support for processing difficult feelings and experiences.
Nature and good mental health are not luxuries; they’re a huge part of what we need not only to survive, but to thrive as well. My hope is that there will be an increase in funding for projects and services that support both of these areas, and that everyone feels encouraged an inspired to embrace them.
I hope that after reading this, you feel inspired to connect with nature in whatever way is meaningful for you. Please keep looking after your mental health, check in with the important people in your lives and with yourself, and remember that support is out there if you need it.
As ever, if you’re struggling with your mental health and think I might be the therapist for you, feel free to get in touch and let’s see if we can work together. You can find me on Facebook and Instagram @emmapooleytherapy, email me via emma@emmapooleytherapy.com, or use the contact form below to send me a message.