The article discusses the importance of spending time in nature and the health benefits associated with it, referencing a study by the University of Exeter that found significant improvements in physical, emotional, and mental well-being for individuals who spent at least two hours per week in green spaces. Despite these benefits, many people struggle to prioritize outdoor time due to urbanization and sedentary lifestyles. To incorporate nature into daily routines, the article suggests several practical strategies, such as walking or biking to work or school, eating lunch outside, exercising outdoors instead of in a gym, and engaging in hobbies that can be enjoyed in natural settings. It also shares the transformative experience of Theodore Roosevelt, who found healing and inspiration in nature after personal losses, highlighting the profound impact that outdoor experiences can have. By making nature a priority, individuals can improve their overall health and well-being.
Getting into the Outdoors by Santiago Gonzales An article on Yale University’s website by Jim Robbins titled “Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health” describes a study conducted by the University of Exeter on the benefits of spending time in nature. In the study, 20,000 people were required to spend two hours a week in green spaces. They could either spend the two hours outside all at once, or split it up into smaller time increments throughout the week. The study showed that this time in nature significantly increased people’s physical, emotional, and mental health. This probably doesn’t sound like super new information, after all, many people would agree that spending time in nature is a good thing. However, the problem is that most people simply do not make it a priority, or they don’t have easy access to nature. The world is becoming more urban and with that comes fewer green spaces for people to actually encounter nature. Also, many people have office jobs that require them to be inside all day. The amount of time people spend indoors is actually staggering. On the Florida Health official government website, it states, “on average, Americans spend nearly 93 percent of their time indoors.” However, it does not have to stay this way. People can choose to make nature more of a priority in their lives. Here are a few easy suggestions on how to bring nature into people’s lives. Walk or Bike to School or Work One way to spend more time in nature is simply using commute time to do so. Not everyone lives close enough to their school or workplace to walk or bike in, but those who do should take advantage of it. In an article titled “Healthy Benefits of Walking and Biking to School,” Dr. Jennifer Rupert, MD states that students who increase their outdoor time by walking or biking to school will have lower stress levels, better academic performance, and better overall physical health. Obviously, similar benefits can be found in adults who use walking or biking as their way to get to work. After all, who wouldn’t prefer strolling or pedaling along a nature path rather than sitting in gridlock on a crowded interstate during rush hour? Eat Your Lunch Outside There’s no reason to sit inside during your lunch break when you can go outdoors and dine instead. Find a bench and eat in the park. Or spread out a blanket and eat on the grass. What if the weather is too cold or too hot? You’re not Goldilocks who has to have the perfect most ideal situation. Be flexible and improvise. Bundle up on wintry days and find some shade on summer days. If it’s raining, just grab an umbrella. One of the great things about eating your lunch outdoors is that when you’re finished, you can go for a quick walk in the surrounding area. This time will help you reflect on your day and think about what you have and want to accomplish. It will also allow you to reset yourself before you go back to the tasks you need to complete. Kick Your Workouts out of the Gym A lot of people enjoy going to the gym to work out. They like the treadmills, weights stations, lifting machines, and the fitness classes offered at such facilities. However, if these same people would consider skipping the gym and working out outside, they would create a win-win situation. There are many ways a person can work out outside. For one, instead of running on a treadmill, they can run on a sidewalk, outdoor track, or trail. Another way people can incorporate a workout into time spent outside is by joining a sports league or starting up a club with a group of like-minded friends. Soccer, tennis, golf, football, baseball, and swimming are all great examples of sports that can be enjoyed outdoors. And who says weight training has to be done inside? A person could either take the weights outdoors themselves, or they could think creatively and use outdoor objects in their weightlifting routines. Outdoor Hobbies So far, the ideas mentioned have been physically active ones. However, there are many other ways to spend time outdoors that have nothing to do with physical activity. If a person loves to take photos, then why not take the camera outdoors and shoot some nature photography? If a person loves to read, they can relax in a hammock, sit on an outdoor bench, or chill on a blanket spread out on the grass and read the latest novel. If a person loves to spend time socializing, they could invite friends over for an outdoor meal, to go stargazing, or just to sit and chat around a fire pit. Those with a green thumb can also put their skills to the test by starting an outdoor garden and spending time everyday weeding, pruning, and taking care of their plants. Some of these pastimes can be done during a lunch hour. Life Changing Results In the late 1800s, Theodore Roosevelt suffered two significant personal losses in his life with the death of both his mother and his wife on the same day. As a way to deal with his grief, he left the urban sprawl of New York City and traveled far to the west to make a new life for himself in the Dakota Territory. While there, the time he spent in nature would not only serve to heal him but would also transform the rest of his life. As he would later remark, “I have always said I would not have been President had it not been for my experience in North Dakota. It was here that the romance of my life began.” People everywhere can find inspiration in Roosevelt’s experience. They, too, can discover similar benefits from time spent in nature, if they’Il just find ways to make it a real priority in their lives.
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