The benefits of being Out In Nature

The physical and psychological benefits of 20-30 minutes among trees or in a natural environment is good for your health.

Why is this? 

After a short time of 5-15 minutes, the body starts to relax and this improves the mood.  Also, physical activities in a natural green environment can help reduce stress.

Exposure to nature has an effect on physical well-being in a positive way, helping reduce anxiety.  Time spent in the natural outdoors has been found to lead to an increase in cognitive activity (understanding through thought), similar to those after acute exercise.

Walking is one of the best ways in which to improve your heart health and well-being at any age.  (I’m quite sure that everyone on a family outing to a park or some other form of nature, has not come home feeling calm, happy and in a more positive mood).

Other indicators of the benefits of a nature walk are: Pleasant emotions; being more able to solve problems; the release of the feel-good endorphins reducing stress, such as Serotonin, and a positive mental attitude, which can all lead to more creativity.

How long should I walk each day? 

Studies show that a daily 20-minute walk outside or just sitting quietly observing the natural environment, can help reduce stress.  Physiologically the body reacts to nature in positive ways. Walking is classed as low-impact moderate exercise, with few risks.

WE ARE CONNECTED TO THE UNIVERSE when we close our eyes and take a few breaths in and out. Let’s imagine that you wonder about your heart and the fact that it never gets a chance to rest. Through your life, it works every minute of every hour of every day. Something over three-billions beats in a lifetime. But here is something that you can do to help it. With your eyes closed take some slow breaths in through the nose and quietly out through the mouth. As you do, on the in breath say “I am aware of my heart.” On the out breath say “I calm my heart.” You can do this to any part of your body. Send it your love. After all, the mind controls the body and this sort of ‘thinking’ can only help. Give it a try.

Where is best to walk? 

Forests and woodland in the UK cover just over one-eighth of the land. They are the perfect place for a day out or overnight camping. Full of wildlife and natural habitats, a surprise is waiting just ahead of you. Home to the only remaining woodland Red Deer herd in England, Grizeland is full of wildlife with amazing Red Kites and also some Buzzards.

Find out other great walks at:

https:/www.countryfile.com/go-outdoor/walks

Birdsong

At this time of year, the air is full of birdsong. The sound of birds singing has now been researched at King’s College London and in Germany by the Max Planck Institute, where they both have discovered amazing benefits. Not only has it been shown to have a restorative effect on mental focus and attention, it can also help in reducing stress, therefore improving mental focus.  Seen also for promoting a sense of joy.

The same effect was positive while either listening to a recording of birdsong, or in real life.

Max Planck, the father of quantum physics once wrote “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” In nature, there is no truer statement.

Skychology

One more amazing thing about the outdoors is that just looking up at the sky can make a big difference.  This new science is called Skychology.  It means that gazing up at the clear sky can have a meditative effect on the mind.  Sky gazing (not at the sun, please!) during the daytime or night brings a sense of calm. It can be used as a source of mindfulness.  The colour of the blue sky has been proven to reduce feelings of anxiety and help uplift depression.

In 2015 a study was published in the Journal of Environment Psychology. It showed that looking into the vast space of the sky had a restorative effect on mental health, by reducing the sense of confinement.

Can a walk help me sleep? 

A stroll or a gentle evening walk in nature, especially after eating can help the body to wind down and it also aids digestion.  The natural evening light supresses Cortisol, the stress hormone in the body, and can help the production of Melatonin which is the chemical hormone responsible for sleep. It controls part of the Circadian rhythms, one which is the 24-hour cycle of sleep-wake.

Remember to have a look  at Essence of Egypt.  Our lovely, clean products are here to help you live a better life, much like your body benefiting by a good walk, the skin can benefit by embracing our clean, natural products.