Getting out in the woods for our mental health

We’re approaching the bank holiday and with the nice weather predicted many of us are planning to get outside for a bit.

Whether it’s staying with friends in a mysterious (but cheap) cabin in the woods, taking a walk in a park, or just tackling some weeds in the garden, conventional wisdom tells us that getting out in the fresh air is good for us.

What is it about it that benefits our mental health?

Surrounding ourselves with nature and away from the pressures of day to day life has a calming effect. Nature has its own rhythms that don’t give a damn about deadlines, emails, social media, or whatever the bad guys in power a thousand miles away have to say about anything. It’s grounding and it helps us stay in the here and now, where we have more control and what we do matters.

Studies even support this, showing that getting out in the woods is able to settle our sympathetic nervous system (the one associated with that fight or flight response) in just a few minutes. While longer periods out in nature are best for us long term even regular short breaks in the fresh air during a working day can give us a boost, help calm us down, clear our head, and support our mental health.

There are also forms of counselling that take place in the outdoors rather than in an ordinary therapy room.

Making more of the outdoors doesn’t necessarily mean we need to plan a big trip. Closer to home, our old friend the garden can be a fantastic place to connect with nature in whichever way feels right for us. A regular place to sit in the sun with a cup of tea and a book, get a bit of exercise, or just enjoy watching the visiting animals do their thing. (The very real excitement of actually getting to hang washing out on a line should also not be underestimated!)

If we want to get more involved, getting our hands in the soil is thought to benefit our mental health, with bacteria in the soil increasing serotonin, improving our mood and reducing anxiety. Gardening, whether that’s committing to a serious vegetable plot, or just planting a few seeds and doing our best to keep things alive, helps us tune into the seasons and nature rather than what might be going on elsewhere. We can also see the benefit of our work and day by day things come to life and thrive. Even if things don’t make it, there’s always something else we can try and an opportunity for a fresh start next year.

While the bank holiday, and more importantly the promised fine weather during the bank holiday, is a great excuse to get outside, we can also do more day-to-day to connect with the nature around us and improve our mental health.

If you’d like to work with me on your own mental health, you can get in touch with me via the website or email directly on mckellarcbt@gmail.com.