NATURE AND MENTAL HEALTH

I’m going to take a guess and say the phrase “get a breath of fresh air” is something you’ve heard before.

Now, at face value, that may simply mean taking a break, but if we look a little bit further, it could also mean taking a step outside.

Oftentimes, people regard nature as relaxing, often citing pasttimes such as hiking and/or simply just working outside as a calming practice.

I took it upon myself to see why exactly that is.

From my research, nature can play a big role in cognitive ability and mental health.

In fact, according to a study done on the relationship with prescribed anti depressants and the amount of trees per kilometer of living areas, there are 1.38 less antidepressant prescriptions for every tree per 1000 kilometers.

These also don’t need to simply apply to mental illness, but a student’s relationship to school as well.

According to the University of Tasmania, kids who spent more time learning outside were said to be more emotionally balanced and satisfied in their lives.

Another study concludes that being close to nature in general invokes more positive emotions.

As we’ve established, emotional wellbeing is very important to your mental health.

While I’m not saying nature is a fix-all for your mental problems, I am saying that nature can have a very positive impact.

Since the weather is getting warmer and summer breaks are closing in, I encourage you to take a step outside –sometimes we need more than a breath of fresh air.