10 reasons to spend more time in nature

Man is the master of nature. However, in our time, when many of us prefer to stay in the “stone jungle” instead of walking in the woods or relaxing on the river, scientists urge each of us to find time in our busy schedule to communicate with Mother Nature. And it’s not just about getting away from the grime and noise of the city, but the actual health benefits. A lot of official scientific studies have been carried out confirming the positive effect of walking in nature on the work of some organs and systems.

Here are 10 reasons why you should spend your next weekend in the country.

10 It relieves stress

No wonder they say that all diseases are from the nerves. Therefore, in our age of constant stress and daily upheavals, it is so important to find time for quiet, measured communication with nature.

It has been established that when we are in a quiet place, not spoiled by civilization, we have a decrease in the speed of pulse beats and the concentration of cortisol in the blood, or as it is also called, the “stress hormone”. In some countries, “forest baths” are used to relieve tension and treat neuroses.

9. It helps you think creatively

Breathing air that is not poisoned by emissions and enjoying beautiful views is not only good for health, but also for the development of abstract thinking and creativity.

According to studies conducted on this topic, for those who are in nature for at least 4 days, a creative approach to solving various kinds of difficulties improves by almost 50%.

8. It improves short term memory

Scientists have concluded that being in nature has a more beneficial effect on a person’s physical and psychological health than walking inside an urban area. During one scientific study, the participants of the experiment were asked to undergo a small memory test, after which they were divided into 2 groups, in one of which people had to spend the rest of the day on the streets of the city, and the others were moved to the arboretum. Upon returning, the participants were asked to take the same test again. It turned out that the results of the group that visited the arboretum increased by almost 20%. And traveling around the city, on the contrary, did not have any positive effect on the process of memorizing the participants.

7. It improves concentration

A similar conclusion of scientists is also based on the results of scientific research involving experimental groups. During one of these experiments, participants were asked to complete complex tasks that depleted their concentration. After that, some of the participants went for a walk outside the city, while the other remained in the city. After a certain time, all participants were asked to find errors in their answers and correct them. The best results belonged to those who spent time communing with nature.

6. It relieves mental fatigue

You probably know the feeling when you stop adequately perceiving any information against the background of mental overwork. A walk away from the city soot will help to fully relax and return to normal again. According to some scientific studies, even images with picturesque views of nature have a positive effect on well-being. And if you see all this live and fill your lungs not with exhaust, but with clean air with the smells of the forest, then after such a procedure you will again be ready to perform the most complex intellectual tasks without the risk of extreme overloads.

5. It reduces the level of inflammation

It has been proven that the development of the inflammatory process is directly related to autoimmune disorders, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, depressive states and oncological processes. There is clinically proven evidence that after a short exposure to nature in the human body, inflammatory reactions begin to decrease in intensity. This applies to both young people and the elderly.

4. It helps fight depression and anxiety

Periodic walks in the woods help reduce anxiety and blues, so they are often used as an additional treatment for depression. In this case, the therapeutic effect will be much greater if you walk near the reservoir. It is also very useful to restore psycho-emotional balance in nature to play sports. It can be gymnastics, yoga, jogging or a team game.

3. It’s good for the eyes

A number of clinical studies have established the fact that systematic spending time in nature significantly reduces the risk of myopia in children.

Scientists from Taiwan observed two schools located nearby from each other, where the number of short-sighted students was approximately equal. They recommended the leadership of one of them to force their students to spend the time allotted for a break on the street. A year later, among all the students of this school, only 8,5% suffered from refractive errors, while in another school this figure was 17,5%.

2. It could be cancer prevention

While doctors do not have one hundred percent evidence that walking in nature prevents the development of a malignant oncological process, however, such a theory is gaining popularity among the scientific community.

Researchers from the land of the rising sun have made a surprising discovery that in regions with a large number of forests, the incidence of oncology is much lower.

1. It reduces the pressure

Japanese scientists concluded that walking in the forest can stabilize blood pressure. Therefore, it is very useful for hypertensive patients to periodically find time to communicate with nature. Of course, this will not be a full-fledged alternative to the daily intake of antihypertensive drugs, but it can prevent the development of a dangerous condition – a hypertensive crisis caused by an acute reaction to stress.