USE THIS TIME TO Reconnect With Nature, Here's Why

"Being around trees gives you better self esteem"

This Japanese study showed that participants who walked in a forest vs in an urban setting experienced significantly lower heart rates, less anxiety, and better moods. Another study shows how interacting with nature decreases rumination, defined as one’s repetitive thoughts focused on negative aspects of the self. Brain scans before and after walks in both urban settings and a forest clearly showed that the nature walkers experienced decreased stress activity and decreased rumination. So one could argue that yes, being around trees gives you better self-esteem.

The absolutely beautiful term forest bathing has been recently popularized but is by no means a new trend. It’s an ancient tradition, also coined by the Japanese, that simply entails walking in the forest and breathing its air. The studies on forest bathing consistently show that participants experience lowered cortisol levels.

Chronically high cortisol levels are the culprit of many issues of adrenal fatigue, including hormonal imbalances which can systematically cause skin woes, fertility issues, weight gain, and trouble detoxing naturally. If walking in the forest can help us clear skin, drop a few lbs, get better sleep, and be on top of our reproductive health, we are running for the hills. Literally.

And if you don’t live near a forest or a lush park that crowds out bustling city activity, you’re not out of luck. There are just as many medical journals and scientific studies depicting that house plants can reduce psychological and physiological stress, and may even improve cognitive ability and memory. So get that big statement fiddle leaf tree, or that drapey pothos, or that exotic rubber plant, and make your space a living, breathing environment.

If there are trees outside your home, or outside your neighbor’s home, open up your window, and make sure to engage with it. This can just mean looking at it—don’t worry, we won’t force you to have full conversations with it. But if you want, it can’t hurt! Gaze at any greenery you can while you sip your morning tea, take some deep breaths, and set your intentions for the day.

"Cleanse your mind and soul"

You can also garden in small spaces. A few pots can house edible flowers that thrive in the summer when planted in the spring. You can grow herbs like basil and mint, chives, and rosemary in small spaces, and even peppers or small citrus plants. Even interacting with soil has health benefits.

In Nadine Artemis’ book Renegade Beauty, Artemis brings to light that important organisms we are incredibly well-acquainted with via housing them in our gut, Mycobacterium Vaccae, are also ones that live in the soil. They can help to decrease anxiety, boost mood, and cognitive function, and even play a role in our digestive health, simply by us interacting with soil in natural environments. Walking in it, sitting, or laying in grass is a great way to put oneself in proximity with these benefits. Don’t be afraid to get your hands a little dirty in order to cleanse your mind and soul.