Health and Wellness

By Virginia Beaulieu

If you were looking for another reason to be grateful to live in the Bay Area, here is an article taken from an infographic created by Happify.com*

- Nature and our Mood - Why spending time outdoors makes us happier.

Happify.com is a website that uses science and research to help improve mental health and happiness.

A Natural Attraction

Nature leads to happiness...

People are substantially happier outdoors when they are in green or natural environments than they are in urban environments.
People who feel a connection to nature, and feel that nature is important to their lives, are generally happier than those who don’t.

…and it doesn’t take long

Being outside in nature for as little as 20 minutes a day makes people feel more alive (even when researchers discounted the effect of the activity they were doing outside).
57% of Americans prefer to spend a summer evening outdoors.

Living near a beach helps families…

Be more physically active
Have more fun together
Be less stressed
Engage with nature more

Nature improves your mental and physical health

When we observe the beauty of nature, our bodies produce lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, meaning we are in a healthier state.
Got 5? Now that’s efficient! Exercising in nature can improve your mental health in as little as 5 minutes.
69% of people who took part in “green” activities such as gardening or environmental conservation work felt an increased sense of well-being, one study showed.
Veterans who took part in wilderness recreation activities felt better and had a more positive outlook. In some cases the benefits lasted as long as a month!
People with good access to green recreational areas enjoyed a 40% narrowing of the mental health gap caused by socioeconomic inequality.
Take a hike outside. In one study taking a walk in nature reduced depression in 71% of participants. Walking indoors in a mall reduced depression in just 45% and actually increased it in 22% of them.

Savor Nature and Stress Less

Picture yourself stress-free: Even pictures can help. People looking at photos of natural scenes recovered from stress more quickly than those looking at urban scenes. Different types of natural environments-parkland, tended woodland, and wild woods-were equally helpful.

How to Get Back to Nature

Even if you live in the middle of a city, you can reconnect with nature. Try these tips:

Take a walk in a park, but slow way down. Notice the flowers you walk by, the weeds coming up through the sidewalk, a reflection in a puddle.
Lie on your back in the grass and watch the clouds go by. Notice how your mind clears.
Sniff a fragrant bush or flower. Think about any memories the smell evokes.
Walk barefoot in thick grass or on a beach.
If you have a choice, exercise outside rather than inside. It increases energy, while decreasing tension, confusion, anger, and depression.
Join a walking group. Lessening stress and depression while boosting mental health can be as simple as walking outdoors with other people.

Good parenting = Outdoor parenting

Get your kids to play outside

In one study, children who spent 5 - 10 hours per week outside said they felt more peaceful and experienced a spiritual connection to the earth.
Children ages 5-18 with ADHD who spent time outdoors saw a significant decrease in their symptoms.
In children 8-10 years old, for every park located within a half-mile from home, boys were 60% more likely to walk during leisure time, and girls were twice as likely to walk to school.

Study in the park

Students in a nature-infused environment remembered more of a lecture than did the students who had no contact with nature.
Memory and attention improved 20% after people spent an hour in nature. It didn’t matter if it was the dead of winter or a lovely spring day. The only difference was that the spring day was more enjoyable!

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” - Rachel Carson

Be sure to check out these links to Bay Area National and State Parks: