How to Tap the Feel Good Power of Nature and Boost Your Wellbeing (Even if You’re a City Dweller)

Urbanisation has all but guaranteed an innate disconnection from the natural world of which we are all part. Busy work schedules, apartment living and personal time crunches (among many other factors) mean we’re dashing often with very little time to rest, recharge and reconnect to ourselves, let alone anything around us.

Whilst it might seem like connecting with nature is a fetch too far if you don’t live in the countryside, the irony is that even in the concretest of jungles, you’ll find the ultimate natural antidote to feelings of stress, overwhelm and stuckness, you simply need to know where to look. 

But first, let’s explore what all the fuss is about when it comes to being out in nature and the science behind the advice to ‘bathe in the forest’.

Why Nature is a Natural Mood & Wellbeing Booster

1. Trees share their phytoncides: These are natural compounds produced by trees and plants to protect themselves from bacteria, fungi and unwanted pests. Inhaling phytoncides has been shown to have an immune boosting effect by increasing the activity and amount of NK (natural killer) cells our bodies produce. NK cells play a vital role in fighting viruses, targeting cancerous cells and removing damaged cells. 

2. Stress reduction: Being outside in the peace, calm and stillness of a natural environment instantly lowers your cognitive load. The sounds of birds singing and wind gently rustling through the trees activates your parasympathetic nervous system which in turn lowers cortisol levels as well as your heart rate and blood pressure. A body that feels calm, feels safe and creates a state of mind that allows you to think more clearly and creatively.

3. Improved focus & concentration: By allowing your attention to effortlessly rest on what’s in front of you in a natural environment and immersing yourself in the fascination of it i.e. watching a sunset, listening to the sound of a flowing river or birdsong you’ll help replenish your brain’s often overloaded and mentally stressed cognitive resources. Time in nature literally boosts your mental energy levels.

You might be thinking, “this all sounds marvellous, but I don’t live anywhere near a forest so how am I supposed to make use of this information?”

I’m glad you asked.

The beauty of tapping into nature’s replenishing resources is that, whilst being immersed in a forest is obviously going to be fantastic, you can also reap the benefits of connecting with nature at home or work too.

Here’s how:

Create a nature inspired space at home or work

• Hang a forest or wilderness scene on the wall where you can enjoy it – even a woodland scene screen saver will help you feel a sense of calm
• Sit by a window that overlooks some greenery
• Listen to nature or woodland sounds whilst you work (I found a 60 minute soundtrack on Apple music called Ultimate Natural Sounds by Niall which I LOVE)
• Add some plants into your space for the colour, texture and air purity benefits
• Burn essential oils such as cedarwood, pine or eucalyptus and enjoy the woodland fragrance (rule of thumb, buy the best quality essential oils possible)

Explore nearby green spaces

Even if you live and work in an urban environment, see if you can find a park, garden or a small patch of greenery where you can sit for a few minutes each day. Just 10 minutes of ‘green time’ each day will boost your mood. If you have your own garden, sit outside before and after work to help you relax. I love sitting outside in the evening and watching the birds do their final rounds before sunset and then waiting for the bats to make an appearance at dusk. Honestly, this daily time out works wonders for my mood.

Try Forest Bathing on for size

Whilst this might sound a little far fetched, forest bathing is essentially taking a mindful walk amongst a wooded area and bringing your attention to the present moment: the textures of the trees, the sounds of the forest, the breeze on your face and the feel of the ground underfoot as you walk. Hugging of trees is encouraged, but optional. If you don’t have access to a forest or woodland, a walk in a local nature reserve will do the trick too. The mindfulness part is what matters and where you’ll glean the mental benefit.

Get your gardening gloves on

Whether you have your own spacious garden, or simply a few potted herbs on your kitchen windowsill, nurturing plants will help to ground you (pun intended) in the present moment. If you plant seeds you have something to look forward to as they sprout and if you can get the seeds to actually grow into plants and survive, the feeling of accomplishment is quite brilliant.

Nature on YouTube

If you can’t get out and about as often as you’d like, you can get your nature fix online. Watching nature on TV still gives you the beneficial sense of awe you’ll enjoy from an in-person experience and it’s far more relaxing than the serial killer documentary you tell yourself helps you to unwind after a hectic day…..

Practice a Nature Inspired Meditation

I have one of these for you here. Listening to a guided meditation that helps you to visualise and focus on forest or ocean imagery will evoke the same calming effects as physically being out in nature and you’ll get the same stress reducing benefits. Our brains are clever but not so clever that they can’t be tricked into thinking you’re sitting in a forest when you’re really in bed in your pj’s.

Listen to my Morning Shift Guided Meditation here.

Get your Nature Time on

Whether it’s a walk in your local park, tending to some seedlings on your windowsill or a guided meditation to visualise yourself immersed in a forest, by prioritising time with nature each day you’ll reap the tremendous health and wellbeing benefits it has to offer. When you feel better, you live better and I’m here to help you do that.

For more information about my coaching work, please schedule a complimentary call with me here.