In the modern world, there is an insane amount of pressure in our everyday lives; from killing it in the gym to bossing it in the office, maintaining good relationships and finding time to catch up with friends, it can be hard to take a breather. Let’s face it, we all need to escape the hectic 9-5 from time to time.
Obtaining your daily intake of vitamin N(ature) can be a straightforward solution to the stresses of modern life. While enjoying the great outdoors won’t get your deadline done, it will give you a rejuvenated self of sense ready to take on your to-do list. Connecting with nature can also inspire us to be more proactive with conservation, and when dealing with the climate crisis and nature emergency, that has never been needed more.
This Earth Day, invest in yourself and invest in the planet.
What is Earth Day?
Earth Day is marked in April annually to celebrate the planet and raise awareness of environmentalism. Each year over one billion people get involved, making it the largest civic observance in the world. Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day, then a US Senator from Wisconsin, in 1970 after he witnessed the horrors of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California.
In 2022 Earth Day is focused on investing in the planet. All life on Earth is connected, and we are one species that is part of that connectivity. We rely on thriving ecosystems for the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. A green future is a prosperous future, and we are currently living within a definitive era for our planet’s future. Healthier environments support healthier people, yet we’re becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world.
Nature and the Pandemic
The last few years have been exceptionally tough for all of us. Our everyday lives have been turned upside down by a global pandemic, and the mental toll that has taken on our health cannot be understated.
According to the World Health Organisation, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide. Loneliness, fear of infection, suffering and death for oneself and loved ones, grief after bereavement, and financial worries have all been stressors leading to anxiety and depression.
Research has shown that spending time outdoors has been one of the key influences in reducing stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, doctors have begun prescribing access to national parks to improve mental and physical health in Canada .
Spending time in nature can be a grounding experience that invites a steadiness into our lives and enhances inner peace.
So how can nature help with your overall health and wellness?
A Natural Antidote
Despite society becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world, our relationship with nature has been found by researchers to be critical in supporting good mental health and preventing distress. The great outdoors keeps us emotionally, psychologically and physically healthy.
Green spaces like parks, woodland or forests, and blue species like rivers, wetlands, beaches, or canals are beneficial to our wellbeing. Even trees on an urban street, private gardens, verges and indoor plants or window boxes can benefit your mental health.
Experiences of anxiety and depression have been found to subside by regularly spending time in nature. Being outside in natural light is particularly beneficial to those who experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD ) - a type of depression that affects people during particular seasons or times of the year.
Trees especially help us feel less stressed and more restored as t he psychological benefits of walking through forests are massive. Forest bathing – deliberately spending time among the woods – can help us deal with the stresses and strains of urban living. Studies have shown that spending a short time in forests benefits our immune systems and heart health too.
Listening to landscape sounds such as breaking waves or falling rain can be therapeutic for our brains. Research has found that the sounds of nature could help people’s mental health , with participants in another study reporting sounds of birdsong provided relief from stress and mental fatigue . With so many nature sound playlists available across streaming platforms, it can offer the perfect background noise for productive office sessions.
Immersing ourselves in the natural world is not only good for our minds and souls but also for wider society and may hold the key to solving some of our biggest challenges. Other research suggests that nature experiences help us feel kinder toward us, and many of those studies involve stress . If you find yourself in a low mood, why not take yourself out for a walk in the park to clear your mind?
Practice Natural Mindfulness
We live in a world where we’re constantly connected through our devices. The latest world events, emails from a colleague, or photos from your friend’s recent trip to Italy are just a notification away. It can be tricky to switch off from the hustle and bustle of everyday life – mentally and physically.
When was the last time you left your phone at home and just existed in the moment?
Surging in popularity, the practice of mindfulness – maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our surroundings, thoughts and body – has been scientifically proven to foster a sense of calm and soothe your soul of the artificial world we constantly consume. If you cannot leave your phone at home, why not download a guided meditation app to help you along your mindfulness journey?
Taking it a step further, switching off your devices and taking a walk on the wild side once in a while can be your secret weapon to improving productivity and staying stress-free.
Immersing yourself in nature can enable you to focus on the present and notice the beautiful world around you: the sights, the sounds, the smells. Scientific research has shown that spending time in outdoor spaces can improve our intake of vitamin D, reduce blood pressure, relax muscle tensions and lower the production of stress hormones. Nature is good for our minds and our bodies.
You don’t need to endure a gruelling hike or be surrounded by pristine wilderness to make the most of nature. A gentle stroll in your local park or even listening to a rainforest soundtrack has been shown to provide health benefits.
What we seek from nature is a personal choice. Adventures can be had at every corner, whether that’s swimming in the open ocean or hiking through magnificent national parks, taking a stroll along the beach or simply observing birds in your local park. It’s up to you. And perhaps what you hope to experience from the natural world will change every time you enter it.
Motion with the Ocean
Have you ever felt yourself gravitating toward the coast? Breathtakingly beautiful expanses of blue water with the waves lapping against the shore and a hint of salt wafting through the air fulfil many people’s summer dreams. And scientists are beginning to uncover why.
Generally, we feel calmer and more relaxed by the sea. The colour blue itself is associated with feeling peaceful and listening to the ebb and flow of waves, and the swell of the sea naturally soothes and relaxes the brain. Fresh salty sea air is also full of negative ions, believed to help alleviate depression and increase levels of Vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin, which soaks into our skin and makes us feel good.
It’s hypothesised that human beings possess a ‘blue mind’, meaning that we have an affinity toward the water. This is not surprising when 80% of our bodies are composed of water. Water has a psychologically therapeutic effect, with time by the water consistently linked with positive mood and reduced negative mood and stress.
Our breathing shifts as we watch waves and wildlife, and our attention is drawn from within ourselves to the outside world, giving out minds the space to reset and offering our nervous system the chance to rebalance as we connect with nature.
Taking a walk along the coast can also improve our sleep. A study found that people sleep on average for 47 minutes longer after a good walk along the beach. And we all know the power of a good night’s sleep.
Inspire Your Creative Flow
Can't escape from your desk? Surprisingly, even watching nature documentaries is good for our mental health. This is excellent news as it means that no matter where we live or what access we have available to the natural world, we can all benefit from vitamin N.
Why not watch a short natural history documentary on your next lunch break? According to a study by BBC Earth, those who watched just a few minutes of nature TV felt 46% more awe and 31% more gratitude than participants who watched other TV programmes. Even a brief engagement with nature content can significantly increase positive emotions, including contentedness, joy and amusement.
Inspiration is everywhere you look in the natural world. It is an immersive experience that allows us to embrace many different sights and sounds that can fuel our creativity. From the vibrant colours of feathered birds to the crisp feeling of an autumnal hike, creativeness is all around.
Investing in the Planet
Despite the plethora of wellness benefits, we can experience by spending time in nature, we are becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world as a society. In fact, disconnection from nature is thought to be one of the most significant issues facing nature conservation today.
We are part of nature. Humanity is only one part of the nature story, and we share this planet with an immense diversity of species, from the great whales to tiny ants. Nature connectedness is about developing a lifelong relationship with the rest of nature filled with appreciation and respect. As humans, nature is our story.
When we feel connected to nature and appreciate its value in our lives, we're far more likely to protect it. And research proves this. P eople with a greater connection to nature are more likely to behave positively towards the environment, wildlife and habitats . A nature connected population will also be more likely to take action for nature – from simple steps at home, such as recycling and wildlife-friendly gardening, to those requiring more commitment, such as giving time to participate in conservation volunteering.
Nature connectedness offers a humble solution to deal with difficult societal problems. Improving our relationship with nature will help us to respond to the challenges of the climate emergency and wildlife loss better collectively by encouraging respect for the rest of the natural world. People will be more supportive of the significant changes needed if they feel connected to nature and that its future matters to their future.
Raising Your Voice
Amid so many horror stories of what our future may look like if we continue on our current trajectory, it can be easy to lose hope and feel helpless. Eco-anxiety is real and shows up in therapy sessions worldwide. In February 2022, the United Nations issued a warning on the consequences of inaction on climate change.
But in reality, there is so much we can do to improve our environments and our health by investing in ourselves and nature.
All life on Earth is intertwined. Our daily choices have an impact, and for us to benefit from nature, we must take care of it. Becoming aware of what you’re creating and consuming and how you’re travelling may help you reconsider your behaviours and how you live.
It’s entirely possible that one person really can make a difference. With intent, you can make choices that impact all life on Earth and empower others to do the same.
There are many small choices you can make each day that can help make a significant impact, such as:
- Recycling
- Composting
- Using less plastic
- Reducing your meat consumption
- Sourcing local foods where possible
- Driving less
- Using less water
As individuals, we may appear to be powerless, but we possess the power to raise our voices for the planet through our personal choices, civic actions and everyday interactions with the world around us. You can generate waves of change throughout corporations and governments that have lasting effects on our global ecosystems by lobbying for political change and supporting businesses taking planet-positive steps over those not putting the climate first.
At Seadon, we pride ourselves on blazing trails for responsible citizens of our global community to invest in sustainable goods with maximum human performance and minimal environmental impact.
Around the world, reduced economic and transport activities brought about by measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 resulted in the short term cleaner air, reduced carbon emissions, less noise and greater safety for cyclists and pedestrians. This is proof that the power is in our hands to improve our environment and that we can build back better as we recover from the pandemic.
Although Earth Day is a chance to raise awareness around the climate crisis and rave about how wonderful our world is, in reality, every day can be Earth Day when we pledge to take action. Investing in your connection with the natural world is a great place to start.
