Ways that have worked for me are highlighted or commented in parentheses......( ) Nature is a POWERFUL healer!
How To Use Nature to Reduce Stress and Anxiety (& Loneliness)
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From Cathleen Henning, Your Guide to Panic / Anxiety Disorders. |
Can spending time in nature reduce stress and anxiety? Environmental psychologists believe our surroundings influence our mental health. Here's how you can bring nature into your life to improve your sense of well-being.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
1. Take walks. If you live in an area with any kind of nature, even tree-lined streets, get outside and walk. Besides the benefits of exercise, walking outside will let you soak up the sunlight and breathe the fresh air. Be sure to notice your surroundings. Start with short walks if your anxiety is keeping you at home. Even a walk around the block will be beneficial.
2. Go to nature, if it's not right outside. If you live in an urban area, learn about all nearby parks. (This is also a great way to meet nice people!) Start making time in your schedule to spend time at a park on a regular basis -- walking and just sitting in the environment. If agoraphobia makes this plan difficult at first, make traveling to a nearby park your first goal. The beauty and serenity will be a wonderful reward.
3. Plant a garden. Even if you have only a tiny plot of land to use, plant something! Gardening is stress-relieving and soothing. You may even feel an increase in self-confidence as you create your own little spot of nature. Don't be daunted by small areas for growing. You'd be surprised at what you can grow along the side of your house, in container gardens on your porch, and even in window boxes. (When I lived in the middle of a city, I always had plants on my porch, I even grew Morning Glorys and Sunflowers)
4. Make the most of your outdoor surroundings. Whether you have a yard, a porch or just a small strip in the front yard, make it a place to sit and enjoy nature. Hang plants on your porch. Place a bench or chair outside to encourage yourself to stop for a moment. Learn about landscaping. Even small areas may be maximized, inexpensively, for beauty and enjoyment.
5. Bring nature indoors. Open your windows whenever you can. Put a chair in the sunlight and sit with your eyes closed as you imagine the beach. Have as many house plants as you can; (Remember plants exhale oxygen and live on carbon dioxide!) they help your air stay healthy and the sight of all that greenery will be soothing. Grow herbs on your windowsill. Get a decorative water fountain; you'll find these in a wide range of prices and styles.
6. Decorate your home with nature in mind. Find artwork with nature themes. When you are outdoors, find rocks, pebbles, feathers or other natural elements to bring indoors. (My home is LOADED with these things, and when I'm outdoors, it gives me a focus instead of concentrating on unpleasant thoughts) Place a bowl of fruit on your table. Buy flowers. Look for natural cleaning products as well as all-natural materials (such as bedding) for your home. (Nothing like sleeping on 100% cotton sheets in summer!) Paint your home in earthy tones. Use "outdoor" decorations indoors.
7. Adopt a pet. (Growing up, I had animals all the time. When I got married, we lived in a no pets apartment. I didn't realize how much I had missed having pets in my life til I got them again!!!) Companion animals have been shown to reduce stress and improve health in many research studies. Besides the companionship and affection pets bring, they are also a reminder of nature. If it's possible for you to have a pet, you will find many benefits from finding the right companion for you!
8. Notice the outdoor animal world. Adopting a pet may or may not be an option, but in any case, watching the animals outdoors is a soothing distraction. If possible, consider placing birdfeeders in sight of your windows. Otherwise, start to notice animal activity in the early morning and around dusk. You'll be surprised at how entertaining squirrels, rabbits, and other creatures can be.
(Squirrels are natural comedians, ever seen one doing flips on the lawn? Or, teasing a cat?)
9. Learn about night-time nature. Find out about the stars and the moon. Consider purchasing a telescope. This is an especially wonderful hobby to begin if you have children. If you don't, explore the sky with the wonder of a child.
(I always walk staring up at the night sky.......its immense beauty fills my heart with joy......and and added bonus, one time, I saw a flying squirrel float across to some trees. I would have missed that if I hadn't made a habit of looking at the night sky!)
10. Appreciate the weather. Start noticing the beauty of your seasons (wherever you live) rather than lamenting the heat or the snow or the rain. Of course you can't love these every day, but if you try to start enjoying each kind of weather more, you may find yourself happier with your surroundings overall. One way to do this is to go outside when it's raining or snowing, and just play in it! (I used to dread the coming of fall and winter, because of the lack of sunlight and warmth. However, once I just accepted that it was part of nature's cycle and nothing I could do to change it, I was amazed at how less unhappy I felt!)
11. Take a trip with nature in mind. If you're able to travel, consider all the natural possibilities available. You might decide on going camping with the basics, or, if you're not ready for that, just stay at a hotel near a natural environment, where you may swim, hike, or otherwise enjoy nature. If this isn't possible for you, consider making it a goal. If it is possible, do it as often as you can!
12. Think about moving. If you truly hate where you live, if it's noisy or smelly or too hot or too cold, consider your options. This is an extreme step, and one you wouldn't want to make impulsively. However, take some serious time to think about how your surroundings are influencing your sense of well-being. (I was raised in the country, and for many years lived in the Adirondack MT's of upstate New York. When I married, we lived in a grimy city, near housing developments for low income families. This depressed the SHIT out of me. 16 years of it, then I INSISTED we move, no matter what.......now I live in the country again, and I am so happy!)Perhaps you can change the problems. If not, it may be time for a bigger change.
Tips:
- Don't be overwhelmed by the many suggestions here. Start small. Pick what appeals to you and go from there.
- Don't be angry with yourself if a phobia keeps you from enjoying nature in the way you would like. First, find other ways to bring nature into your life. Second, reach your goal of getting to the natural surroundings you enjoy by creating a set of small steps that will eventually take you there. Practice a little each day.
- Besides bringing nature into your life, consider unhealthy aspects of your environment that you may want to remove. Even a hated paint color on the wall may influence your state of mind. There is much you can do to eliminate unwanted sights, sounds and smells.
