Spending time outside in nature brings incredible health benefits
There’s plenty of evidence that tells us spending time outside in nature brings incredible health benefits. Mental health charity, Mind, has covered this extensively.
It’s not only enjoyable, but will go a long way to improve mental health and physical wellbeing.
At Whitby Wellbeing all our activities and events take place in nature – at the beach, the moors, the wooded valleys in North Yorkshire. We even hold breathwork meditation and plunge at a local waterfall.
So, whether it’s a beach sauna, cold-water plunge, breathwork and mediation, or a cacao ceremony all our activities give you the space and time to recoup from the stresses of everyday life while being outside in nature.
The Advantages Of Spending Time In Nature On Our Overall Well-Being.
Reduces Stress & Improves Mood
This isn’t just a placebo effect. There’s extensive research showing a dose of nature therapy reduces stress levels and improves mood.
It’s thought this is because the natural environmental lowers the ‘negative mind chatter’ associated with depression, low mood, stress, and anxiety.
According to the 2019 Global Wellness Trends Report, being enveloped by the sounds, colours, and scents of wooded areas, also known as forest bathing, promotes mindfulness and a feeling of peace.
Protects From Anxiety & Depression
The links between spending time in nature and protecting against anxiety and depression have also been repeatedly well-documented.
Nature, and in particular sunlight, can help ease depression symptoms like low mood and fatigue. In fact, nature calms the mind, engages our senses, and can help us feel more curious and playful!
For calming benefits, being near water is particularly beneficial. Spending time by ‘blue spaces’ such as the sea, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls offer many benefits for the mind and body including reducing heart rate and blood pressure, slowing the breath, calming the nervous system, and lowering stress and anxiety.
Boosts Creativity & Memory
Taking a break in nature can improve concentration, memory, and boost your creative thinking – just by giving your brain a break. So, leaving your phone behind and joining one of our wellbeing sessions will help you let your mind wander and unwind to escape the overstimulation so common with our busy, modern lifestyles.
Combats Isolation
While feeling lonely isn’t a mental health problem, the two are strongly linked. As well as connecting with nature spending time outdoors, and participating in our regular activities, will help you meet and connect with other people. Our wellbeing sessions are a great way to bring people together in a space where everyone feels accepted and understood.
Immersing oneself in nature offers multifaceted benefits for mental well-being. Scientific research supports its role in stress reduction, mood improvement, and the prevention of anxiety and depression. The calming effects of nature, especially near water, positively impact physiological markers such as heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, nature breaks enhance cognitive functions like creativity, concentration, and memory. Beyond individual well-being, outdoor activities create opportunities for social connection, countering the challenges of loneliness. Embracing nature becomes a holistic approach to mental health, countering the stressors of modern life and fostering a sense of community and understanding.
Check out upcoming events and book a place.
Main – Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash
