I live in an urban environment. The constant clamor of cars and people is something I experience daily. Although I enjoy the vibrancy of being in a city, there is something rejuvenating about spending time in nature. Maybe it is the contrast between pavement and greenery or the dissonance of honking versus the melody of birdsong. All I know is that I feel better after spending time in a natural surrounding. Now that spring is here, there is more opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Let’s explore both the physical and psychological benefits of being one with nature.

The Physical Benefits of Nature

There is a growing body of research about the physiological advantages of spending time in nature. Some of the major benefits include a reduction in blood pressure, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. After hearing that, you might be wondering if nature has some sort of magical properties. The answer is probably yes, although not in the David Copperfield type of way. Put plainly, nature has some healing properties. It may be difficult to tease out exactly what factors provide the health benefits but there is definitely something about the overall experience that is good for us.

Have you heard of “forest bathing”? If you haven’t you probably will in the near future. It is big in Japan. This is when people spend time in the forest as a therapeutic exercise. Instead of sitting in a doctor’s office, you can derive many of the same advantages from walking among the trees. In a forest, you are totally removed from the reminders of real life. It is just trees, animals, and you (and maybe some fellow bathers). Think about how relaxing and invigorating that would be. It is no wonder that immune function improves after people spend some time in a forest.

I believe the mind-body connection is strong in nature. The physical benefits are linked with how it makes us feel on an emotional level. You can’t really separate one from the other. That being said, let’s look at some psychological benefits of spending time in a natural surrounding.

The Psychological Benefits of Nature

I dare you to spend an hour in a natural setting, away from man–made activity, and not feel better. In our normal lives, our bodies are under constant stress. There is no avoiding the strain of work, family, and dealing with our responsibilities. We go to natural surroundings to escape and decompress. It is kind of like a natural meditation. Think about it. Why do we meditate? We want to be in the moment, to escape our worries and the stress of our lives. Nature provides that for us. It is an antidote for reality.

Brain Health

We’ll get to our emotions in a moment, but there are some positive outcomes for our brain as well. Spending time in nature provides us an opportunity to unload and clear our minds. Getting out the clutter helps us to think better and improve our cognitive functions, including increased focus and memory. It is amazing what our minds can accomplish without the demands of reality weighing it down.

It seems that achieving cognitive clarity also helps us to expand our capacity for originality. Our minds become more of a blank slate where we are able to think outside the box. Indeed, spending time in nature has been found to foster our creativity.

Nature Makes Us Happy

Maybe most importantly, nature helps us feel better emotionally. It reduces anxiety, depression, and stress. Think about all you go through to be happy. It is everyone’s ultimate goal. If spending some time in nature helps you reach that goal why not try it out. Now, I’m not saying nature is the solution to all your problems, but it definitely won’t hurt. I don’t know about you, but I would rather spend time on a hike or canoeing than having to pop some Prozac.

You might complain that you live in an urban environment and nature is nowhere nearby. While that may be partially true, you are probably closer to nature than you might think. I have lived near four major cities in my life and all of them are within a half hour of some natural surrounding. Even New York has Central Park. Remember, almost anything worthwhile takes some effort. So, next time you have some free time, think about how great you would feel among the birds and trees and go find yourself a park. Isn’t your mental and physical health worth it?