Your Brain on Nature

How often do you step outside during the work day to engage with nature? Do you take a walk to grab a coffee, or sit in the park to eat lunch? Or do you spend all day in the dental clinic?

Because the research tells us that spending a few minutes in nature can boost attention, reduce feelings of stress and improve your mood. Getting two hours per week of nature time has been linked to better health and wellbeing, with 20 minutes at a time shown to be ideal for reducing stress hormones like cortisol.

Our lives have become increasingly tangled in technology, whether it is sitting in front of a computer for work or using social media, which means that we are spending less time connecting with the outdoors and nature.

When was the last time that you went for a walk outside without your phone?

Not only is time in nature a beautiful experience, but it can also be beneficial for our brains, bodies, emotions and wellbeing.

For example, a large study of over 20,000 people found that those who spend just two hours per week in green spaces such as local parks or other natural environments were much more likely to report good health and wellbeing compared with those who don’t. And the good news is that you don’t need to spend two hours at a time. Just 1-10 minutes of exposure to nature can boost attention , reduce feelings of stress , and improve your mood, while 20 minutes at a time is ideal for reducing stress hormones like cortisol in the body.

Time in nature is a great antidote for stress, lowering blood pressure, enhancing immune system function, increasing self-esteem and mood and reducing anxiety.

Watch this TEDx talk by Dr David Strayer talking about the restorative effects of nature on the brain

An invitation

Try going out to your local park or a part of nature that you love. See what it is like to put your phone away and connect to it with your senses. How do you feel afterwards?