There is now a large amount of evidence and new research confirming how important our outdoor environment is for our mental state. It’s not just the conditions, circumstances or objects around us, but specifically the amount of time we spend absorbing the sunshine and moving, an impactful way to cope with life stressors. Science is now confirming there is a direct correlation between spending time outside with nature, the positive effects it has on our brain and ultimately, our mental health.
Nature Impacts Our Brain
Most adults, depending on the season, spend the majority of their day, 80-90% of their time, indoors according to The National Human Activity Pattern Survey. And respected science literature is telling us more time outside is better for our mental health and impactful for our brain and more specifically with our brain structure.
A recent study called, Spend time outdoors for your brain – an in-depth longitudinal MRI study, took a deep dive into this curious topic of spending time outdoors and how this is connected to our well-being and our mental state. The results got my attention where they looked at sunshine duration and time spent outside as certain variables.
To simplify and summarize the findings, in short, while looking at the brain more closely, they saw “a significant positive association between hours spent outdoors and a single cluster in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.” It continued by saying, “a positive association between grey matter probability and self-reported hours spent outdoors.”
Also connected to this subject matter and a topic that has been reported on in many cases, the air quality is better outside compared to our indoor air quality because of bad indoor ventilation and other negative factors. This is more likely another reason why being outdoors with nature is good for our brain and our overall mental health.
Time Outside = Better Mood
Another study called, Nurtured by nature, looked at this topic at other angles, the many health benefits of being outside compared to being indoors which can be connected to more screen time or technology. It’s been estimated that we spend 10 plus hours per day looking at a screen for work or pleasure according to a Nielsen Total Audience Report from a few years ago. We know that being outside to enjoy a walk, run or bike ride can help with our mood, our stress and now our mental health.
Scientists are now uncovering many benefits of spending time in and around our parks and tree lined neighborhoods in our community. You don’t have to be an ancient historian or a scientist to understand there is tangible benefits, now cognitive benefits to engage with nature each day, even if it’s just to soak up a little sunshine and read a book or walk for 30 minutes.
This particular study mentioned above said, “the stress reduction hypothesis posits that spending time in nature triggers a physiological response that lowers stress levels.” Nature and sunshine are good for the tired brain. Being around our natural outdoor features such as parks and beaches, absorbing copious amounts of exposure to nature, experiencing and participation in certain activities and the positive effects it has on our mental health and well-being is a certain type of model we should follow for more positive mental outcomes.
There is great value in putting emphasis on these decisions of spending more time outside and less time inside in front of a screen. Science is telling us nature influences our mood and our mental health and there is now growing data the many benefits of soaking up the sunshine in nature has a great effect on us.
Pause, Change Environment and Move
Another layer connected to this subject that personally helps me is by pausing and moving.
By controlling what I can control and taking a long break, walking or exercising outside helps me greatly by allowing me to have a better perspective on certain stress factors out of my control.
Pausing and moving also increases my serotonin levels naturally via the sunshine and light as well as by working out. By choosing to be outside in nature and walking nearly daily, it allows me to be more analytical, less emotional about certain stressful circumstances that has an impact on my thinking and ultimately, my mental health. Adding some space and separating a bit from my negative racing thoughts which can include sensitive challenging subjects related to certain stress factors impacting my overall well-being.
A perspective of looking at stressful things by using big picture thinking, pushing or pausing away your negative thinking and literally separating it from yourself can help greatly. By not always “searching for answers”, allows us to be kind to ourselves and immerse ourselves into our beautiful outdoor surroundings and just live in the present and embrace the adventure.
Regarding more insight on this type of perspective and for us to reach our own potential, author, David Chernikoff in his recent book, Life, Part Two: Seven Keys to Awakening with Purpose and Joy as you Age, has some words of wisdom worthy of sharing to inspire us to get outdoor more with nature, saying, “We now understand that the open heart can fully embrace what the thinking mind finds ungraspable. It’s become clear to us that life is an adventure to be savored, celebrated, and surrendered to rather than an endless jigsaw puzzle with too little time to complete.”
Give A Tip Today (link in graphic below) to the contributors of Breathe & Eat Chocolate, Mental health & Food Forum, creating an ad-free, creative space with helpful strategies, a hopeful path forward towards a positive outcome for many families battling a mental health crisis.
