The Benefits of Being in Nature

Being in nature has all kinds of benefits for us that not only help us physically and mentally, it just feels good being in nature. Getting outdoors in different environments, can increase our exposure to the sun, give us energy, boost our creativity plus loads more.

So let’s break it down and find out how nature can make us feel a whole heap better.

nature gives us energy

What better way to get some free energy! There’s just something about trees, particularly large trees, that is both comforting and energy-producing. They have distinct wisdom about them like they know something we don’t. Maybe it’s their age. Maybe it’s their height. Either way, they’re intriguing and give off a certain energy that we don’t get from buildings or material things. I think I now know why people hug them. Just looking at this tree, especially as it has a charming face on it, makes me want to embrace it. But maybe for the time being, I’m ok with just giving it a pat when I walk past it 😉

nature for a creativity boost

Walking in nature calms the mind and allows us to think clearly. It can also help with our memory probably because it gives us the time to switch off from what’s going on around us.

Here are some additional ways walking can help us. Walking in nature can then have added bonuses. Give it a try. Do it on a regular basis to get the full effect and benefits.

The Benefits of Walking - Gutidentity - Emma Bailey

solutions come more easily when surrounded by nature

Like I said before, being in nature can help us think more clearly. Surround, immerse, do whatever you can to get amongst it. There’s never been a more important time in our history to have a clear mind to think of solutions. Being in nature seems to promote more feelings of gratitude and happiness which then help us to feel more content with life in general.

Being immersed in nature provides a great time to contemplate where we might be heading, what we want out of life, or to just have the time to think of better ways to do something. When we take the time to look out to an image like the one I have above, the ability to think straight and experience greater clarity, becomes possible. Try it!

ground ourselves in nature to reduce feelings of anxiety

Take those shoes off and sink your feet into the sand! If a beach is not available, head to a local park and walk barefoot. By placing our feet directly on the earth, feelings of anxiety and angst can almost disappear. This is known as grounding or earthing. Being near water can also produce an immediate feeling of calm and there’s something about looking out to a vast span of water, that is calming and relaxing.

If you’re like me and full of energy (sometimes a lot of excess energy resulting in anxiety), grounding to the earth can help relieve some of this. The best way to find out if it works for you is to try it. It’s also supposed to help with inflammation in the body.

If you were a kid growing up in the 70s and 80s like me, you might have spent many hours playing outside. As a species, we certainly don’t do enough of this right now so it’s important to make the time to do it and encourage those around us to do the same, especially children.

happiness and nature – get your happy on

I am definitely at my happiest when I’m in nature. I’m drawn to it and it makes me feel content in every way. It doesn’t matter where I am in the world, whether it’s a beach or a park, nature makes me feel peaceful. Nature has a way of making problems seem quite minuscule in the scheme of things.

I guess even if we have some pretty major things going on for us, being close to nature can help us feel part of a bigger picture. In the grand scheme of things, we really are limitless and this helps me remember that maybe some of my problems, aren’t that significant after all. This kind of attitude towards life, helps me to feel happier and more satisfied overall.

vitamin d exposure

Speaking of lifting our mood, Vitamin D exposure can also help with this. The more time we spend outdoors, the more opportunity we get to have our body exposed to the sun. If we get safe sun exposure every day, it can help our body to produce the hormone Vitamin D.

Vitamin D helps our immune system to function the way it is supposed to. Getting enough Vitamin D also helps us with sleep. Exposing our eyes to early morning light can help regulate our circadian rhythm which is our sleep/wake cycle. How much Vitamin D we need depends on our age.

Find out how much sun you can get safely by watching this short clip below.

Related Post – Vitamin D for Immune System Support

the calming effect of nature on our whole being

I don’t think there’s any coincidence that what we find in nature is just a reflection of us. We are nature itself. When we spend time in nature, we get to see just how alike we are. The shapes we find match us – just like this heart-shaped seed casing, I found this morning on my walk. But if you look closely, you can see the ferns in the background and how they are similar to the lines on my hands. The more we appreciate the fact that we are one with nature, the more we will look after it and respect it. We have lost our connection to nature and it’s time to get it back.