As many of us have experienced, nature can positively affect our happiness and overall state of mind through the beautiful sights we see and the beneficial chemical processes that nature brings. “Scientists are beginning to find evidence that being in nature has a profound impact on our brains and our behavior, helping us to reduce anxiety, brooding, and stress, and increase our attention capacity, creativity, and our ability to connect with other people.” (Jill Suittie, 2016) The outside stimulus involved are known to positively influence the way we think, feel, and live.
With the vast amount of outdoor recreation within the world, people have many chances to get outside to experience nature. In fact, in many approaches to therapy, outdoor recreation highly influences the healing processes. One of the many benefits that comes from this is experiencing the outdoors is the amount of sunlight and oxygen levels. When it comes to chemical benefits, experiencing more oxygen allows the brain to carry out more bodily processes such as “reducing stress, increasing energy and alertness, lessening the effects of hangovers, headaches, and sinus problems, and generally relaxing the body.” (John A. Daller, 2017) This does not mean that those who go outdoors are healthier, it just means that is psychologically beneficial, but has nothing to do with development.
Although this may not take into account the natural affects on the brain, a graph shown on https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959/ shows an interesting graph on the happiest states. This takes into account different rates of psychological accounts as well as instances of death, etc. In my opinion, I feel that happiness is directly related to being physically active in an outdoor setting. With the many studies done and being done today, we are able to see the data that supports this idea. Ultimately, the outdoors stimulates our brain in a way certain things cannot. So… get outside and enjoy nature. Take a hike. Go on a run. I am sure you could use it.
Dear Lauren:
Juan Gomez
I am interested with your post because it had really caught my attention about nature vs the brain, I really love the nature and being outside in the forest or woods because it brings this calm to me and takes me too a whole other world. I agree with you one hundred percent because to be able to be free mentally you have to let your eyes see a whole different type of place a beautiful natural area to let yourself see as far as your eyes can see.
One thing that had really stood out to me was when you said ” our happiness and overall state of mind through the beautiful sights we see and the beneficial chemical processes that nature brings.”this really reminds me of me when I get somewhere that is full of trees and all green plants around me. I feel free when I see all this room to do whatever I please to do and no one ever tells me anything.