How do you deal with stress? I asked my friends and colleagues this question and you’ll be unsurprised to read that for many of us the best way to handle stress is to get outside.
Jayne, a Girls Journeying Together Facilitator said,
“I will go outside to take some deep breaths, or if time allows, cold plunge/ go for a walk/ cold water swim.”
My old university friend Rachel, was happy to share “well it’s an oldie from me, fresh air! Plus doing a bit of exercise.”
When my 17-year-old daughter is feeling wound up about her schoolwork (or bored) she suddenly offers to take the compost out and comes in about 15 minutes later having spent time striding about the garden.
So, what is it about getting outdoors and connecting with nature that is helpful?
Many studies have shown that being outside lowers our cortisol levels which reduces our stress, and it can also help with the symptoms of depression. Being outside in nature can also help your attention span and focus as well as boosting your immune system. Studies have found that those who exercise outdoors regularly have higher levels of serotonin, which lowers tiredness levels and boosts happiness.
Dr Rongan Chatterjee (drchatterjee.com who has the brilliant podcast Feel Better Live More) suggests you only need to spend just five minutes outside every day to start feeling the benefits and reducing your stress levels. These are his ‘nature bites’ that you might want to try out to help alleviate your stress or to support a young person in your life who is feeling overwhelmed.
Go outside for five minutes. Stare at the trees, listen to the birds, watch the branches move in the wind. Really focus on your surroundings and luxuriate in the experience. If you have a garden or balcony, it’s fantastic to do this first thing in the morning – natural daylight exposure at this time is great for your body clock, helping you feel more awake and, hours later, sleep better.
Multitask in nature. This could mean having your morning cup of tea in the garden. Or sitting by an open window, listening to the birds singing or meditating on the branches blowing in the wind. If you need to make a phone call, do it outside. Read a book, sketch, write your diary, take some photos. Look for opportunities to get back to nature, whatever the task at hand.
Get green fingered. If you have a garden, go outside to water and check in on your plants each day, taking the time to really notice how they have changed since the day before. No garden? Build a collection of houseplants and learn to care for them.
Exercise outdoors. The mental health benefits of both exercise and being somewhere green are well proven, so guess what happens when you combine them? Research confirms all-round health, fitness, mood and self-esteem are improved while mental fatigue and stress are reduced.
Listen up. If you can’t get outside, the sounds of nature can be of benefit. A quick search of YouTube, Spotify or any meditation app will find recordings of waves crashing or birds singing, so tune in to some aural therapy.
Gaze on something green. Research has shown that even just looking at images of the natural world (compared to urban environments) is calming. Select a beautiful photo of the outdoors for your screensaver and place a few botanical pictures around your desk at work.