Because Mother Nature is there!
“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore….”
– George Gordon, Lord Byron, “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” [Canto Four, Stanza 178]
Reconnecting to Nature
Research indicates that one of the best antidotes to a stressful lifestyle is to spend time in natural settings outdoors. Individuals who spend time outdoors are likely to be:
- happier
- healthier
- smarter
- more cooperative
- better problem solvers
- more creative
Why are so many individuals obese, stressed, and indifferent?
We are are out of shape, tuned out and stressed out, because we’re missing something essential to their health and development: connection to the natural world.
Nature provides benefits to our mental health and our physical health
Nature is good for us and has both long and short term mental and physical health benefits.
Nature calms the brain and heals the body
- City dwellers are more likely to suffer from mood and anxiety disorders as well as schizophrenia than those living in more rural environments
- People who grew up in an urban environment may have a greater sensitivity to stress
- A wealth of research points to the calming and healing effects of nature on the human body and mind
When children with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder were integrated into a physical activity and recreational milieu, they showed positive and significant increases in the amount of appropriate behavior and significant decreases in inappropriate behavior.
Nature Heals
A leading medical doctor articulates the many proven benefits of nature for mental and physical health, and provides references to scientific studies.
Watch how an MD routinely prescribes nature for mental and physical health on TEDx