Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health has come to the forefront of public discussion. Enforced lockdowns, job and money worries, and restrictions on social contact have affected people of all walks of life. Even children were not immune to the stresses and strains of the pandemic with, according to Office of National Statistics figures, children aged from 5-16 reporting that their mental health has been made worse. However one positive is the renewed appreciation of the natural world with people using their time to get out into gardens, local parks and green spaces as much as possible. We have rediscovered that nature is good for mental health. Because of this, the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘Nature’. Read on to find out more about how nature positively impacts our mental health. We’ve also included some advice on how to get out into nature.
HOW CAN NATURE BENEFIT MY MENTAL HEALTH?
Celebrated TV gardener Monty Don has publicly chronicled his battle with depression. He credits being among nature and wildlife in his garden for improving his mental health.
You don’t have to be a professional gardener to know that surrounding yourself by green things – plants, flowers, trees and a blue sky on a sunny day – can give you an immediate uplift in your mood. You could say it’s a natural boost, not to mention the benefits of absorbing more vitamin D by being outdoors.
There is plenty of research out there showing how nature is good for mental health. Whether you have access to a garden or just a few houseplants, being around nature can have a number of positive effects. It can:
- Improve your mood and help you feel more relaxed
- Reduce stress, anxiety and anger
- Help you to be more active so improving your physical health
- Help you to make connections with new people and activities which can increase your confidence
- If you prefer solitude, nature provides the perfect excuse to take time out for yourself by going for a solo walk
Spending time with nature forces you to think outside yourself. For example, when you care for plants or seedlings, the feeling you get knowing you are helping something to live and thrive is a boost to your self-esteem.
In recent years there has been a drive towards ecotherapy as a way to reconnect with nature through outdoor activities. These include communal gardening, exercising in parks or experiencing the peace of nature with a walk or cycle through woodland. Some schools have also embraced nature through setting aside space in school grounds for outdoor play, gardening and tree planting. More proof, if it were needed, that education chiefs have grasped the fact that nature is good for mental health.
TIPS FOR GETTING OUT INTO NATURE
Aristotle said that ‘there is something to be wondered in all of Nature’ and he was absolutely right. Nature is around us in all its forms. From the majesty of our countryside through to wildlife and birdsong, we see and hear nature all around us.
When something happens to turn our lives upside down like the COVID-19 pandemic, people turn to the natural world for some kind of normality. Nature helps to bring some kind of structure into days that are far from normal. This is why many people took to going for walks either alone or with family members. For some this was the first time they had time to walk and they were able to reconnect with a lost part of themselves. They found that nature is good for mental health as well as physical health. Beyond Mental Health Awareness Week we need to keep that connection with nature going, look for it wherever we can. Here’s how:
1) TAKE TIME TO APPRECIATE WHAT’S AROUND YOU
Even as life returns to its normal, bustling, noisy self, why not take time to look at what’s around you. While waiting at a bus stop if you look down you will see insects scurrying around; or you could look up to see birds in the trees or flying overhead and listen to their songs. In your garden or local park, rest and sit with a hot drink while you look for bees and butterflies. Study clouds like you used to do when you were small.
2) JOIN LOCAL GROUPS
If you have no green space to call your own, why not find out about local community gardening collectives or allotment societies. Some city farms will always need volunteers to help out with tasks, large and small. If you have always wanted a dog but can’t commit the time and expense necessary you could find out if your local rescue kennels need any dog walking volunteers. You could also look for local conservation or clean-up groups and do your bit for the environment.
Walking groups have arrangements for differing abilities. Alternatively a gentler form of outdoor exercise can be found with your local tai chi club. Art, photography and writing groups too often head outside for natural inspiration.
3) OR GO IT ALONE
If you prefer exercising on your own, walking or running outdoors can combat feelings of low mood and stress. Leave your headphones at home and listen to the natural sounds around you instead to really reap the benefits that nature has to offer.
4) IN THE GARDEN
Even the smallest garden or window box will have room to grow flowers or vegetables in pots or containers and the joy you get on seeing those tiny seedlings popping up through the soil cannot be overstated. If you have room, get a bird feeder or two to feed the birds which visit your garden. Different types of feeder will attract different birds.
5) IN THE HOME
If you don’t have a garden and you can’t access any outdoor green space you can still bring nature into your surroundings. Sales of houseplants have soared throughout the pandemic as we took up nurturing houseplants. Try growing small pots of herbs on a warm windowsill to bring the aroma of the outdoors in, they can be useful in cooking too.
If it just isn’t possible for you to get outside then watching nature, wildlife or gardening shows on TV is an option. However, you choose to celebrate it, nature is good for mental health so let’s take steps to protect and enjoy it.