The holiday season is here, though sometimes what begins as genuine good cheer can turn to anxiety and stress without us even realizing it. Here’s a simple tip to keep you sane through it all: hug a tree.
I know. Hugging a tree sounds so crunchy! But I think we forget sometimes that being in nature really does help to soothe what ails us. When I feel frustrated, anxious, confused, or sad, taking a walk or a hike almost always helps me to sort things out in my mind. Sometimes even just stepping outside to touch, hear, or see something in nature can help me feel better. Whether it’s the fresh air, the subtle movements of the trees, the rhythms of water, just being outdoors reminds us that we are part of a much larger world than whatever is going on inside our own four walls.
There is also research supporting the value of this very instinctual urge to be outside. A recent study showed that walking outside in nature (or even looking at pictures of nature!) helped to improve memory and attention. The University of Michigan researchers report that you don’t even have to enjoy the walk to get the benefits.
Richard Louv, the author of the national bestseller Last Child in the Woods, has a wonderful blog post with ten reasons children and adults need nature. He explains that we not only need nature to counter our high-tech lives, but that nature can ignite our senses, help to heal us, and improve our psychological well-being.
You probably didn’t need studies or experts to tell you that going outside feels good. This is just a friendly reminder that your instincts are usually right! No matter what the season, there are special reasons and joys of the outdoors. So take a walk in the crisp winter air (or whatever the weather is like where you live), feel your feet on the ground, in the dirt, grass, sand, or snow to reset and recharge during this hectic time of year.
Berman, MG, et al. 2008. The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychol Sci, 19(12), 1207-12. URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Berman%2C%20m%20Jonides%20Kaplan (accessed 07.15.11).
University of Michigan News Service. 2008. Going outside—even in the cold—improves memory, attention. URL: http://ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=6892 (07.15.11).
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