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Episode 2785:
Melani Schweder delves into the healing power of reconnecting with nature, illustrating how time outdoors can rejuvenate our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. She emphasizes that immersing ourselves in natural surroundings promotes a deeper sense of peace, clarity, and fulfillment amidst the chaos of modern life.
Read along with the original article(s) here: https://nosidebar.com/nature/
Quotes to ponder:
“Nature invites us to slow down, to breathe deeply, and to experience life in a more profound way.”
“Spending time outdoors can help us shift from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance.”
“The beauty of the natural world reminds us that simplicity is often where true joy resides.”
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[00:00:00] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.
[00:00:24] So, press play on Good Sleep tonight because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily.
[00:00:38] This is Optimal Health Daily, Why Time in Nature Leads to a Happier, Healthier Lifestyle by Melani Schweder with Nosidebar.com and I'm Dr. Neal.
[00:00:48] Hey there, happy Tuesday and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily, where we do something much different than the typical podcast. We simply find blogs and get permission from the websites to narrate them for you. Here on this show, I cover fitness, nutrition, stress management, weight management, and lots more.
[00:01:06] And then on Fridays, I do something a little different and it's one of my favorite days of the week because I get to answer your questions right here on the show.
[00:01:14] And with that, let's get right to it and start optimizing your life.
[00:01:22] Why Time in Nature Leads to a Happier, Healthier Lifestyle by Melani Schweder with Nosidebar.com
[00:01:30] Think back to the last time you were immersed in nature.
[00:01:33] Maybe you can feel your toes wiggling in the sand or the fresh mountain air against your skin.
[00:01:38] Perhaps you can sense the warmth of the sun's rays, smell the fragrant foliage in the morning dew, or hear the pleasant crunch of leaves and twigs underfoot.
[00:01:47] As you conjure this image, try to tap back into your emotional state too.
[00:01:52] Chances are good that you were feeling more happy than fearful, more peaceful than anxious, and more connected than withdrawn.
[00:01:59] But why?
[00:02:00] What is it about spending time in nature that seems to set us right again?
[00:02:04] And perhaps a bigger question, why do we still get such little outdoor time in our modern life?
[00:02:10] Spending more time in nature.
[00:02:12] It's been estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, that the average American spends 93% of their time indoors.
[00:02:21] Between the hours clocked at home, at the office, and in the car, collectively we spend less than one half day out of every week outside.
[00:02:29] With our modern obsession with work and productivity, these numbers may not be surprising.
[00:02:34] But now scientists are trying to shore up the link between this dismal 7% of our lives spent outside and our state of overall discontent.
[00:02:43] Neuroscientists in the US and the UK are using portable EEG units to measure how our brains respond to different environments.
[00:02:51] And so far, they're noticing a sizable difference between brain activity when walking in nature versus walking through a crowded street.
[00:02:59] Frontal lobe activity decreases when we stroll through a park, and our brain's alpha waves, which are associated with a calm but alert state, increase.
[00:03:08] David Strayer, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Utah, has demonstrated that just three days of nature immersion is enough to, quote,
[00:03:16] clean the mental windshield, rebooting our overstimulated brains to reclaim our cognitive abilities and emotional equilibrium.
[00:03:25] Experiencing happiness in nature.
[00:03:27] Humans have long intuitively known that being outside is a boon to health, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
[00:03:36] Poets of yesteryear sung praises to the towering trees, the rushing rivers, and the majestic mountains.
[00:03:41] However, today's human seems to be suffering from an epidemic dislocation from the outdoors, as dubbed by Florence Williams, author of the book The Nature Fix.
[00:03:51] We're spending an increasing amount of time inside, often in a sedentary position in front of some kind of screen,
[00:03:58] and it's disastrous for our personal health and our sense of community.
[00:04:02] Researchers have noted that after just an hour in the wilderness, our brains respond in kind,
[00:04:07] pumping out happy hormones and neurochemicals that work to reduce blood pressure, tamp down pain levels, and promote what we call pro-social behavior.
[00:04:17] These cooperative, compassionate behaviors are pertinent to our survival,
[00:04:21] helping us bond with others through increased empathy and a reduced separation between the concepts of self and other.
[00:04:28] So, if you're in a fight with a loved one or stuck in a miscommunication with a co-worker,
[00:04:33] a walk through the forest may be just what the doctor ordered.
[00:04:36] The Japanese practice of forest bathing.
[00:04:40] In Japan, the practice of forest bathing is thought to be an antidote to the overstressed but under-engaged brain.
[00:04:47] In a modern work-life environment, we typically only use two or three of our senses at a time.
[00:04:53] Forest bathing, in contrast, is a full sensory experience,
[00:04:57] allowing us to expand our use of our neural networks in sort of technicolor meditation.
[00:05:02] And the results are compelling.
[00:05:04] Nature immersion reduces heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels,
[00:05:08] while boosting levels of immune cells called natural killer or NK cells,
[00:05:13] which can be important in the fight against cancer.
[00:05:16] The Japanese believe so strongly in the medicinal powers of nature,
[00:05:19] they've already created nearly 50 forest bathing trails.
[00:05:23] More and more countries are catching on to the link between nature time and the health of their citizens.
[00:05:28] In Finland, in a fight against depression and anxiety,
[00:05:31] public health officials have recommended that people get a minimum of five hours of nature time.
[00:05:36] And other cities like Singapore and Stockholm,
[00:05:38] they're investing in more green space,
[00:05:41] smattering more trees, parks, and green belts among the concrete and brick.
[00:05:46] Proximity to nature, even in an urban environment,
[00:05:49] has been shown to reduce crime rates as well as risk factors for nearly 15 different diseases.
[00:05:55] The benefits of time in nature.
[00:05:58] While there is still much that we don't know about our intimate link to the natural world,
[00:06:02] the positive effects are undeniable.
[00:06:04] And unlike many drugs,
[00:06:05] the dose curve for outdoor time doesn't follow a bell curve.
[00:06:09] A little bit of nature is a good thing,
[00:06:11] and even more nature is an even better thing.
[00:06:14] The best part of this is,
[00:06:15] we don't need to alter our lives dramatically in order to see beneficial changes.
[00:06:19] Just being around living greenery like houseplants can help,
[00:06:23] and a short 15-minute stroll through a natural area
[00:06:26] is enough to show measurable biochemical changes.
[00:06:29] But if you want to go for the gold,
[00:06:31] choose an activity that includes the magical trifecta of well-being,
[00:06:35] outdoor time,
[00:06:36] spontaneous play,
[00:06:37] and social engagement.
[00:06:39] People underestimate the healing powers of nature,
[00:06:42] especially when it comes to happiness and life satisfaction.
[00:06:45] But our culture is slowly changing.
[00:06:47] We're realizing that things like shopping and watching television
[00:06:51] don't give us lasting joy,
[00:06:52] and perhaps a regular dose of sun and sand
[00:06:55] is more beneficial over the long term.
[00:06:57] After all,
[00:06:58] humans evolved in nature.
[00:07:00] Now is our chance to reclaim our connection to the wilderness,
[00:07:03] and finally find true nourishment for mind,
[00:07:06] body,
[00:07:06] and soul.
[00:07:11] You just listened to the post titled,
[00:07:13] Why Time in Nature Leads to a Happier, Healthier Lifestyle,
[00:07:16] by Melanie Schwader,
[00:07:17] with nosidebar.com.
[00:07:19] And I'll be right back with my commentary.
[00:07:22] Dr. Neil here for my commentary.
[00:07:24] I remember recently reading a study
[00:07:26] that was talking about nature,
[00:07:28] and actually us walking barefoot more often.
[00:07:30] The researchers found that we
[00:07:32] transfer more electrons from our bodies
[00:07:35] into the ground when we walk around barefoot,
[00:07:37] and that this transfer of electrons
[00:07:40] may actually reduce the risk for some chronic diseases.
[00:07:44] Now this research is still in its infancy, of course,
[00:07:46] and so we can't really say for sure that,
[00:07:48] oh, walking barefoot will reduce your risk of cancer,
[00:07:50] let's say.
[00:07:51] But instead, it's telling us that there is a shift
[00:07:53] in the research.
[00:07:54] There's a shift in the acknowledgement
[00:07:56] of how powerful nature can be
[00:07:59] on our mental, physical, and emotional states.
[00:08:02] Even NASA has done studies
[00:08:04] on the effects of having plants
[00:08:06] in your living environment,
[00:08:07] and how it actually can change your health.
[00:08:09] If you don't have the best screen thumb,
[00:08:11] the effect unfortunately doesn't seem to be the same
[00:08:14] with artificial plants.
[00:08:16] And you may have already noticed
[00:08:17] that even hospitals are starting to incorporate
[00:08:19] some of these green spaces.
[00:08:21] A hospital near me recently completed this renovation,
[00:08:24] and part of that renovation
[00:08:25] was this outdoor space that they created
[00:08:28] that's called the Meditation Garden.
[00:08:30] You basically walk along this path
[00:08:32] through trees and flowers,
[00:08:34] and there are benches along the way
[00:08:36] where you can just enjoy the calm,
[00:08:39] the peace, and the nature.
[00:08:41] And you know, what a perfect place
[00:08:43] to put something like that.
[00:08:44] Those that are working in hospitals day in and day out,
[00:08:47] or those that are visiting their loved ones,
[00:08:49] friends, family members in the hospital,
[00:08:52] definitely need that time to get away and find peace.
[00:08:55] So I think it's a brilliant idea.
[00:08:57] All right, that'll do it for today's episode.
[00:09:00] Thank you for being here,
[00:09:01] and thank you for listening every day.
[00:09:03] I'll see you back here tomorrow
[00:09:04] your optimal life awaits.