Nurtured by Nature

“Psychological research is advancing our understanding of how time in nature can improve our mental health and sharpen our cognition.”

It’s no secret that spending time in nature has incredibly positive benefits. Unfortunately due to the technological development of the modern world, humans spend a lot more time inside than they used to.  According to a study done by insider.com in 2020, adults spend a whopping TEN HOURS on average each day in front of a screen which is certainly contributing to the decrease in time spent outside.  This might feel unavoidable for some but what if we told you that just 20 minutes outside each day could change your life?

From a short walk through your neighborhood to a day-long hike in the woods, spending time in nature has been linked to many benefits such as a decrease in stress, an overall better mood, an improvement in attention span, and helping you feel grounded when your mind starts to wander.  Bottom line- nature rocks (pun intended)!

Ready for some surprising studies?

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “both correlational and experimental research have shown that interacting with nature has cognitive benefits.  For instance, it has been found that green spaces near schools promote cognitive development in children and green views near children’s homes promote self-control behaviors. Adults assigned to public housing units in neighborhoods with more green space showed better attentional functioning than those assigned to units with less access to natural environments. And experiments have found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility, and attentional control, while exposure to urban environments is linked to attention deficits.”

Another study found that “just a few moments of green can perk up a tired brain. In one example, Australian researchers asked students to engage in a dull, attention-draining task in which they pressed a computer key when certain numbers flashed on a screen. Students who looked out at a flowering green roof for 40 seconds midway through the task made significantly fewer mistakes than students who paused for 40 seconds to gaze at a concrete rooftop.”

So- how much time in nature is enough? Some researchers have found that just 2 hours per week in nature can have positive effects on your brain and overall well-being, regardless of whether those 120 minutes are spread out or enjoyed in one chunk.  Sounds doable, right?

Here’s our challenge to you- spend at least two hours in nature next week and let us know how you feel, ok? Allow yourself to be nurtured by nature! ♥️