Nature is beckoning us to come outside and play!
I’m sure most of us have heard that Japanese Doctors are prescribing a walk in the forest for reduction of stress and general health. But how did that come about??
It started with the Forest Agency of Japan advertising that people should take strolls in the woods for better health. A few Japanese researchers set out to discover whether indeed something special–and clinically therapeutic–happens when people spend time in nature.
Turns out, 40 minutes walking in a forest can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is involved in blood pressure and immune-systemfunction.
In addition, the aromatic compounds emitted by trees and plants, when inhaled, offer the same healthy benefits as aromatherapy.
Recent studies have also linked being in nature to symptom relief for health issues like heart disease, depression, cancer, anxiety and attention disorders.
Then there is the awe factor… looking at pounding waves or a rocky cove at the beach, towering trees in a forest, a stunning waterfall or even a broad expanse of countryside can evoke feelings of awe that bring a number of health benefits.
When people experience awe, it gets them in tune with things larger than themselves and they tend to behave in more generous ways. The benefits of awe are physical too. Regularly experiencing moments of awe has been linked to lower levels of inflammatory compounds in the body.
This must be why we, as humans, love nature and are often called to go there.
