Nature is Nurture

Surrounded by chirping birds high up in the trees encircling our campsite, I am writing this blog while overlooking a lake. The mountains ringing the lake are yet capped with snow. The increasing breeze is rustling the leaves in the trees, while clouds gather behind me. An approaching storm?

We (the hubby and I) have been spending the past few days car camping, each night waking up to a new backyard. So much time spent outdoors in green spaces is transforming my outlook, my very soul. Things are softening inside of me that I didn’t even know were hardened.

There is a question about what shapes a person’s life more: nature or nurture? Do our genetics predispose us to certain characteristics, or is lifestyle the predominant factor in making us who we are?

But these past few days in the bosom of Creation, being rocked to sleep in swaying breezes and  the music of nighttime birds and bugs, I have come to be reminded again of the beauty and life-giving serenity of the outdoors. Nature – not the genetics kind, but the actual earth and all its delights – this is what is nurturing me now.

We live in an ever-busy, ever-connected world, where so much is vying for our attention… All. The. Time. The job is demanding. The family schedule is crazy. Bills, responsibilities. Pressures of social media. Traffic.

Benefits of spending time in nature:

Seldom do we have time to slow down and absorb the goodness of nature. But the benefits when we do are astounding. Did you know that merely seeing photos of nature can help reduce stress? But if I know you, you want more. You want to actually get out and experience nature. Great, because being in nature can help reduce the production of stress hormones, lower blood pressure, slow a rapid heart rate, and reduce muscle tension. And it’s free!

Getting outside usually involves some type of exercise, even if it’s just a short walk. If you’re a regular reader of my blogs, then you may recall I recently wrote a blog about the benefits of just 30 minutes per day of exercise. You can check that out here, if you’re curious to explore this more.

Ask any health professional and they’ll tell you that a large percentage of the global population is vitamin D deficient. This vitamin is necessary for many things, including the health of bones and cancer prevention. A deficiency may increase risk of hypertension, multiple sclerosis, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.  Spending time outside in nature can help restore healthy levels. There’s so much more about this in this link for you to nerd out on.

Remember when you were a kid and you spent time playing outside? Didn’t you sleep well? Fresh air and exercise is a great combo for getting quality sleep. Here’s a crazy statistic: about 9 million adult Americans (roughly 4% of the adult population) use prescription sleep aids. These pills don’t come without side effects, either. I wonder how much this statistic would decrease if spending time in nature was the new prescription.

Speaking of prescriptions, 1 in 6 Americans take antidepressants or other psychiatric drugs (this includes sleep aids, as well as antianxiety and antipsychotic medications). This is a rough statistic to swallow and hurts to even think about it. These issues are complex, no doubt. But just knowing that getting out in nature can help is some good news, for sure. Again, add in gentle exercise, and this can be as effective (or more so) as prescription medications. Harvard agrees with this prescription of exercise (here), and Stanford touts the benefits of walking in nature (here). I like having them in my corner. Makes me feel so ivy-league-ish.

Live in a big city without access to much nature? You can still get a nature fix from trees, grass, and flowers that every city has. Find it, seek it out.

Some studies are showing that being in nature increases the brain’s capacity for creativity. But you don’t need a study to tell you that. I think bigger thoughts out here.

Being in nature is life-giving and healing. Nature is nurture and it’s powerful medicine for me today.

What about you?

What are some of your favorite ways to get out in nature? And if this an area you would like to grow in, how can you increase your time spent in nature?

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