The incredible wellbeing benefits of nature

There's plenty of evidence that tells us spending time outside in nature brings incredible health benefits. Mental health charity, Mind, has covered this extensively.

It’s not only enjoyable, but will go a long way to improve our mental health and physical wellbeing.

All our wellbeing activities and events take place in nature at the beach, the moors, the wooded valleys in North Yorkshire. We even hold breathwork meditation and plunge at a local waterfall.

So, whether it’s a beach sauna, cold-water plunge, breathwork and mediation, or a cacao ceremony all our activities give you the space and time to recoup from the stresses of everyday life while being outside in nature.

Here we look at the benefits being in nature offers to our wellbeing.

Reduces stress and improves mood

This isn’t just a placebo effect. There’s extensive research showing a dose of nature therapy reduces stress levels and improves mood.

It’s thought this is because the natural environmental lowers the ‘negative mind chatter’ associated with depression, low mood, stress, and anxiety.

According to the 2019 Global Wellness Trends Report, being enveloped by the sounds, colours, and scents of wooded areas, also known as forest bathing, promotes mindfulness and a feeling of peace.

Protects from anxiety and depression 

The links between spending time in nature and protecting against anxiety and depression have also been repeatedly well-documented.

Nature, and in particular sunlight, can help ease depression symptoms like low mood and fatigue. In fact, nature calms the mind, engages our senses, and can help us feel more curious and playful!

For calming benefits, being near water is particularly beneficial. Spending time by ‘blue spaces’ such as the sea, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls offer many benefits for the mind and body including reducing heart rate and blood pressure, slowing the breath, calming the nervous system, and lowering stress and anxiety.

Boosts creativity and memory 

Taking a break in nature can improve concentration, memory, and boost your creative thinking – just by giving your brain a break. So, leaving your phone behind and joining one of our wellbeing sessions will help you let your mind wander and unwind to escape the overstimulation so common with our busy, modern lifestyles.

Combats isolation 

While feeling lonely isn't a mental health problem, the two are strongly linked. As well as connecting with nature spending time outdoors, and participating in our regular activities, will help you meet and connect with other people. Our wellbeing sessions are a great way to bring people together in a space where everyone feels accepted and understood.

Now read about the benefits of our wellbeing activities including saunas, cold water dipping, mediation and breathwork.

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