There are so many reasons to get outside and engage with nature. From your stress levels to your mental health, nature can play a major role in your general health and well-being. You don’t even need to spend hours or days in the wilderness to reap the rewards of time in nature. Though if you’re into spending lengthy periods of time in the outdoors — by all means go for it!
Studies show that the benefits of nature work through:
1) viewing nature
2) accidental presence of nature
3) engagement with nature.
And good news: All provide psychological benefits!
The benefits to spending time outdoors and in nature are significant including:
Enhanced positive feelings
Feeling more psychologically balanced
Less mental fatigue
Larger attention span and more time for reflection
Reduced negative thoughts
Increased physical activity
Fewer illness and sick days.
This list is by no means complete, but can help paint the picture of what benefits can arise from spending time in nature and how it can impact other areas of your life.
Viewing Nature
Windows in the workplace, watching nature films, and looking at photos of natural scenes can positively impact the viewer without even stepping outside. This can help buffer stresses of work, and over long periods, people have been found to have less illness, decreased frustration, more patience, and express enthusiasm for work or other areas of life. So go ahead and hang that print, photo or poster of your favorite nature scene in your work space or home!
Accidental Presence of Nature
People are positively affected by time spent in nature/exposure to natural things such as plants and animals. Commuting to work or school in all types of weather (not just nice sunny days), having house plants, or owning pets connect us to the natural world. People with regular outdoor/exposure to nature demonstrate greater attention capacity and motor coordination.
Engagement with Nature
Focusing on actively engaging with nature in activities such as gardening, trekking, walking, mountaineering, biking, camping, running, etc will give more bang for your buck. When visiting wilderness, some people seek a desire for tranquility and natural beauty and an escape from the stresses of urban life. Or they may be looking for a dramatic “peak experience”’ or perhaps a spiritual connection.
The next time you feel stressed, burned out or unmotivated, try stepping outside or looking out the window for a few minutes to let your nervous system reset and move forward with the day feeling a bit more centered. After all, in our Central Pennsylvanian habitat, it’s not hard to find some nature to enjoy!