While I was walking to class today in this chilly weather I couldn’t help but think about the hike me and my buddies went on a couple weeks back. The cold weather I was experiencing today was making me yearn for the warm early autumn days the last couple of weeks offered. As I was pondering about the hike me and buddies did, I couldn’t help but think about how great I felt after completing the hike. I realize any physical activity is good for your health but I wasn’t feeling stronger or more fit after the hike. I was feeling more refreshed and more alive. I simply just felt better. Everyone has felt that inexplicable pull that the outdoors has on your being. There is simply just an inner instinct that gravitates you to being outside. Whether it be a walk in the park or the act of just sitting in grass and gazing at the sky, everyone is drawled to the outdoors. This made me wonder why this happens. Can nature offer more then a boost in physical health? Is there a mental aspect of being outdoors that is good for your health? According to new research, “being in nature actually boosts the immune system, which in turn, increases our mental and physical health.”
It has long been known that being outside in nature can provide a boost in an individuals health. But the scientific connection between nature and mental health has long remained a mystery. Ming Kuo, a researcher from the University of Illinois, decided to research this mystery and conducted an analysis on every study she could find on the connection between nature and good health. After a long period of researching the connection she found the link and it is the immune system. “In her research, Kuo found as many as 21 possible pathways between nature and good health and all but two of these could be linked to the immune system. She compares being in nature to taking a multivitamin that provides us with all the nutrients our bodies need to simultaneously protect us from all types of physical and mental ailments.” You might be wondering how the immune system gets a boost from being in nature. One way the immune system receives a boost is because your body switches from fight or flight mode, a known immune system killer, to the rest and digest mode. When your body is in the rest and digest mode you feel more content and safe which allows your body to use more energy and resources towards the immune system. Sunlight also offers Vitamin D which helps boost the immune system.
Some of you reading might still be wondering what the immune system actually has to do with mental health. Scientists from the University of Cambridge recently conducted a study to help show the connection between the two. “They found that children who grow up with higher levels of proteins released in the blood during illness are nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression and psychosis as adults.” There have also been other studies done that were conducted on animals such as mice. “They showed that depression is similar to an allergic reaction, occurring as a result of an over-reactive immune system. Rather than getting a runny nose, for instance, some people might experience depression.”
When everything is said and done it is important that you spend ample time outside experiencing all the positives nature can offer. Whether you are a sea lover, tree lover, or mountain lover you should get outside. The connection nature has with us humans is an important connection. Being outdoors is a basic human need that offers numerous benefits. Nature is beneficial for your physical health and most importantly, your mental health.
What does nature do for you?
SITES:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2015/10/08/why-nature-is-so-good-for-your-mental-health/?utm_content=buffer97b95
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/nature_is_good_for_your_mental_health
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-10-15-nature-anxiety-exercise_N.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150916162120.htm
I personally feel that whenever I am outside my mood is enhanced, at least when the weather isn’t horrible. I spend a lot of my time in the spring and summer outside and always feel that my mood is better in those seasons. Obviously there can be various other confounding factors but I notice going outside is consistent with a better mood, at least in my case. I found an article on this topic and it brought about a few points as to why going outside can be good for mental health and make you happier. One of the things the article said that I found very important was that being outside can decrease stress. Stress correlates to mental health and reduced stress makes for a better state of mental health. Another way to expand on this topic could possible be how nature and different seasons effect mental health.
I could not agree more with this blog! During the summer the beach is my happy place. I always go their to relax and calm down and to get away from the troubles of life. Also whenever I run on the beach in the mornings or just walk with friends down to the pier I always feel relaxed afterwards. I agree that nature offers we as humans many natural benefits that without them we wouldn’t be able to survive.
I think the study about whether orphanages or foster homes were better for you was interesting. Here is a link to an article I found on the issue: The article talks about different types of orphanages and foster homes in different countries and discusses the effects of them on its children.
I was really excited to read this post because I love hiking! Where I live in California, I’m very blessed to have so many trails along the ocean to hike. I was really interested to read about how being in nature has a direct effect on our immune systems. I too feel really re-energized and happy after a nice long hike. I looked online to see if being in nature has any more direct effects on the brain and I found an article that states that ” Various studies have found that urban dwellers with little access to green spaces have a higher incidence of psychological problems than people living near parks and that city dwellers who visit natural environments have lower levels of stress hormones immediately afterward than people who have not recently been outside.” This definitely proves that there is a benefit to being in nature.