If you’re feeling cooped up after too much time indoors, you might instinctively crave some time outside. Research has shown that time spent outdoors is good for our mental health and our ability to function to our highest potential. At Highland Hospital Behavioral Health, we recognize the importance of embracing a wide range of tools in supporting the well-being of the patients we treat for their behavioral health needs, so we encourage them to embrace nature as part of their self-care plan.
What Science Says About Nature
Research has found that exposure to nature:
- Improves focus
- Enhances the ability to make good decisions
- Makes it easier to regulate emotions
- Improves blood pressure
- Decreases risk of cardiovascular disease
- Increases physical activity
- Promotes better sleep
- Elevates mood and mental health, especially symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance use disorders
For children, the impact can also include:
- The chance to learn new things
- An opportunity to practice healthy risk-taking
- Mastery of new skills
- Control over their choices
- Connection to other people
How Much Outdoor Time is Needed?
While it’s great if you can take a long vacation to spend time outdoors, what is more important is to consistently spend some time outside. More time each week is often better, but one study of 20,000 people found that two hours per week seemed to be the minimum amount that yielded consistent improvement. This was true across occupations, ethnic groups, economic status, and worked for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
Why Does Nature Heal Us?
There are a couple of different theories about why we feel better from spending time in nature. One of these theories relates to taking breaks from the causes of fatigue in our modern lives, so that we can improve our ability to pay attention. The other theory states that our nervous system responds to our feelings and emotions, which are improved by spending time outside.
What Makes Nature a Good Strategy?
There are many reasons why nature is a great self-care option:
- It can be cheap or free to use
- It is often more accessible than other treatment options
- It works for people of all ages
- There is limited risk of side effects
- It typically doesn’t interfere with medications
Blue Is the New Green
If you’re not big on trees and flowers, but you love the water, you’ll be happy to know that spending time in blue spaces, like ponds, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and the ocean is also great for mental health, especially if you pair your time outdoors with some sunshine, so that your body can produce more vitamin d, which helps to:
- Improve mood
- Relieve stress
- Improve sleep
- Relieve mental health symptoms
Therapeutic Uses of Nature
There are practitioners who specialize in using nature to help people. This is sometimes called green therapy or ecotherapy. This can include things like:
- Bicycling
- Rafting
- Hiking
- Rock climbing
- Animal-assisted interventions
- Arts and crafts in green spaces or using natural materials
- Star gazing
- Spending time gardening or growing plants on a farm
Getting Outdoors Near Highland Hospital
Our facility has some green space available, featuring a rose garden. Additionally, we are located in Charleston, West Virginia, which has nearly two dozen city parks. There are nearly 50 state parks in West Virginia, as well as six national parks.
Other Ways to Access Nature
Due to financial limitations, inability to travel, or mobility concerns, it can be difficult to take advantage of opportunities to engage in nature in the same way that other people might. In that case, it may still be possible to bring some nature into your own space through:
- Caring for a pet
- Maintaining a container garden – seed libraries can allow you to do this more affordably.
- Getting some house plants
- Listening to recordings of nature sounds
- Visualization exercises with a nature focus
- Surrounding yourself with photos of natural settings
- Opening your windows to enjoy the sounds of the outdoors
Highland Hospital Behavioral Health is the leading provider of behavioral healthcare services in the region. We provide support to children, adolescents, and adults who are struggling with mental health or substance use disorders.
