Take just a few minutes out of your busy day and try a mindfulness exercise in nature, like a walk in the park, running on the beach or climbing a tree. Time spent outdoors can drastically improve your mental and physical wellbeing. However, if access to the outdoors is difficult, you can gain similar benefits from yoga in your own garden or in a room where you have brought the green inside!
One of the main benefits of spending time in nature and the wild is the increase of energy you will experience. Psychological research has shown that time spent outdoors in nature makes people feel more relaxed and focused. Whilst people experience more energy and a reduction in anxiety and depression, it has also been proven to increase their resilience to illnesses.
Being active in nature is a guarantee to lower stress, which in our fast-moving world is something we are probably all in need of. Less stress is one of the most transformative and obvious ways that nature regulates our mental space. Adults who live in areas with green spaces experience lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone in our body, than city dwellers. Being surrounded by nature helps reducing feelings of fear, anger and contributes to a good overall wellbeing.
These are benefits that our participants regularly experience during our Wilderness Trails, which take place in the wilds of Scotland or Wales, where we help them experience nature immersion in its wildest form. Part of that programme is a self-evaluation the participants undertake at the beginning and end of trails, showing again and again the amazing effects of time spent in nature. Examples of these impactful outcomes from our TurnAround groups include a 40% improvement in working or studying, 60% reported improvement in feelings of trust and 80% felt more connected to nature, by the end of the programme. Showing an average improvement of 65% within the group with many more positive impacts being reported. To find out more about our Wilderness Trails, for anyone you know who would benefit from our outdoor therapy, please click the link below.
https://wildernessfoundation.org.uk/transforming-lives-through-nature/
Another pledge idea of getting more active would be to set yourself a physical challenge and maybe even start a fundraising campaign for charity. If you want to support the Wilderness Foundation, it easy to set up your own campaign. Whether you’re planning on running a race, setting yourself a hiking challenge or getting involved in another sporting activity there are simple steps to help you become a Wilderness Fundraiser! Just check out our website here https://wildernessfoundation.org.uk/fundraising-2/
However, it does not always need to be a big trip into the wild or a sporting challenge that will yield positive results, incorporating activity into existing daily routines can help ensure they become a permanent feature in your life. For example, you could bike or walk to work! If your commute is only 5 to 10 minutes by car, why not opt to cycle into work every once in a while? If you are in walking distance of work or school, a short walk in the mornings and evenings not only allows you physical exercise, but also offers your mind the opportunity to work through some of the stresses of the day. Try aiming for 120 minutes in green or blue spaces every week, to help improve your physical and mental wellbeing. It all starts with the first step!
By Katharina Kommer
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