How Connect With Nature To Revitalize Your Mood and Wellbeing This Fall
Fall officially starts on September 22nd this year, and alongside every single autumn equinox we have the pleasure of experiencing comes a natural change of pace.
Our lives tend to get busier and more structured in the fall. We pack our schedules full of work, studies, projects, and activities, and we end up leaning more into a "doing" energy instead of a "being" state.
This can be a wonderful catalyst for growth towards our goals, but it can also lead directly to burnout if we don't balance our effort with rest.
Thankfully, nature offers us many simple ways to slow down and live in harmony with the seasons. Whether you're in a city, a suburb, or are lucky enough to have access to a peaceful rural escape, there are countless ways to connect with the outdoors this fall.
Time Outside is an All-Natural Chill Pill
One of the most measurable ways we can see nature benefiting our wellbeing is through the lens of hormones.
You've likely heard of serotonin, the "happy hormone". Serotonin is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter that greatly affects our mood. It doesn't just create feelings of happiness, but it also heightens focus and calmness.
Exposure to oxygen-rich fresh air, natural sunlight, and organic life can all help us produce more serotonin and consequently boost our wellbeing. This is already pretty amazing, but the hormonal benefits of nature therapy don't end there.
Dopamine is another popular mood-altering hormone that's received a lot of attention as of late. It's associated with our innate motivation system, so too little dopamine or extreme dopamine highs and lows can easily zap our energy and even cause depressive-like symptoms.
Time in nature has been shown to regulate healthy dopamine levels, and combining time outside with other activities like walking, meditating, or listening to music can enhance this effect even more.
Last but not least, time in nature can have a profound effect on cortisol, also known as "the stress hormone". Chronically high cortisol can cause headaches, weight gain, low moods, and even health problems if it's never addressed. It tends to put the body in an inflammatory state if we have too much of it too often.
Surprisingly, just a few moments in nature has been shown to effectively lower cortisol levels and help keep stress under control. 20-30 minutes has been suggested as an ideal dose according to a study in Frontiers in Psychology.
Tips For Nature Therapy
If you want to maximize the physical and mental benefits of getting outside, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1) Prioritize Sunlight
Being outside in any weather can be great, but the amazing benefits of the sun are worth seeking out! Morning sunlight in particular can help normalize your circadian rhythm to ensure you get high-quality sleep at night.
2) Practice Mindfulness
One of the most wonderful aspects of nature is how it calls us outside of our busy brains and into the present moment. Try to engage with nature with all of your senses to root yourself into the experience. You may even want to try meditating or praying in nature, either alongside movement or in peaceful stillness.
3) Try Grounding
Grounding is an alternative therapeutic technique based on some pretty interesting science. The idea behind it is that since the ground, water, and plants carry a negative charge, this negative ionization can interact with our bodily chemistry and provide us with health benefits. It's been shown in several studies to reduce stress, improve immune function, increase metabolism, and much more. Try taking off your shoes to reap the benefits of grounding, or simply make an effort to interact with nature using your sense of touch.
It's important to remember that even if you don't live near a beautiful coastline, serene forests, or a tropical oasis, you can still enjoy whatever local nature you have. Something as simple as a small patch of urban park or a moment spent on a balcony can allow us to slow down and remind us to live in balance.