When you hear the words, “serene,” “calm,” and “peaceful,” it’s likely that you visualize scenes from nature. It’s no coincidence that many of the strategies that people use to help themselves relax involve experiencing, thinking about, or replicating nature in some way. At Palms Behavioral Health, in Harlingen, Texas, we know that nature can offer healing for people who have mental health conditions. While nature has been used to heal people for centuries, practitioners are finding new ways to utilize it in modern times.
Conditions Improved By Nature
Spending some time outside has been linked to decreased symptoms among people with:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Substance use disorders
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
Ways Nature Can Nurture Mental Health
Research has found that spending time in a green space or near water, can:
- Decrease stress
- Improve mood
- Decrease psychological distress
- Improve cognitive functioning
- Enhance quality of life
Being outside also has the added benefit of increasing our exposure to natural light, which triggers the release of serotonin and Vitamin D, both of which can:
- Improve mood
- Reduce stress
- Boost focus
- Help us to get better sleep
Only 10-15 minutes of sunshine per day can be beneficial to our health. If you are not able to get that amount of natural light each day and are finding that you’re struggling with your mental health, you might consider if a light box would be helpful.
How to Enjoy Nature
There are so many different ways to enjoy the natural world, that there is no need to try to force yourself into an option that does not suit you. A few of the many ways people enjoy nature include:
- Time with animals such as bird watching, equine therapy, and pet therapy
- Gardening (container gardens are a great option for people who don’t have yards or whose physical limitations make it difficult to access plants that are in the ground) or foraging
- Going for a walk, hike, or bike ride
- Playing or meditating outside
- Camping
- Enjoying “blue” space with water by swimming, sitting near water, fishing, tubing, boating, or walking along a beach
Ways to Bring Nature Indoors
Some people aren’t able to enjoy the great outdoors as often as they might like, due to mobility limitations, lack of green space near their home, or time constraints. There are ways to bring nature inside, such as:
- Getting a houseplant
- Listening to pre-recorded nature sounds
- Visualization exercises that use your mind’s eye to enjoy outdoor scenes
- Finding photos or paintings of natural settings
- Journaling about seasonal changes
- Opening windows to allow in fresh air and sounds of nature
What Makes Nature a Good Option
There is still a lot of research to be done on the power of nature to impact our mental health, but we do know that it is that when practitioners prescribe nature to their patients, it is often recommended for:
- Low cost
- Ease of accessibility for most people
- Benefit to everyone
- Ability to increase mindfulness
- Ability to be combined with other types of interventions
- Link to decreased anger, fatigue, and sadness
How Much Outside Time You Need
A study of 20,000 people determined that about two hours per week in nature was enough to enhance the health and well-being of study participants. This was a minimum amount found to provide benefits, but there is no reason why a person shouldn’t enjoy more time outside. Children, in particular, benefit from spending a lot of time outdoors.
Though many people find great enjoyment in taking long excursions into nature, what is more beneficial to mental health is to have consistent time outdoors. Frequency matters more than duration, according to research.
Staying Safe in Nature
It is generally a good idea to take the following precautions when engaging in outdoor activities. For example:
- Take someone with you or let someone know where you will be
- Be aware of and prepared for expected weather conditions
- Choose clothing and shoes based on terrain and activities
- Stay aware of your surroundings
- Ensure your phone is charged, in case you get lost and need to call for help
- Carry water with you to avoid dehydration
- Apply sunscreen and insect repellant as appropriate
At Palms Behavioral Health, we create an individualized treatment plan with each patient we serve. We use evidence-based, trauma-informed practices to meet the unique needs of our clients.
