Stress Reduction and Nature

By Rebecca Katzman, MD

I recently had the opportunity to talk with students at Orofino Elementary about stress and stress reduction. It was a good reminder that everyone deals with stress at some point in their lives. The students had great suggestions of ways to help manage stress with many students mentioning outdoors activities including doing sports, playing outside, and taking pets for a walk. As the weather gets nicer and the days get longer we have more opportunities to take advantage of time outdoors.  Children and adults can utilize being outdoors as ways to reduce stress.

 

Multiple scientific studies have shown benefits of being in outdoor spaces. Fresh air, sunshine, and exercise can all help decrease stress hormone levels and increase some of the “feel good” hormones like dopamine and serotonin. Time spent during the day in sunlight can help regulate the body’s day and night cycles and lead to that much needed better sleep.  Green spaces are thought to improve focus, attention, and creativity. A 2015 study in Japan compared people who looked at plants with people who looked at pictures of plants and showed that the real plants were associated with an increase in activity in an area of the brain responsible for emotional regulation.

 

Being outdoors is an easier way to be physically active for many people. Being outdoors can provide a little bit more physical space between squabbling siblings or family members.  Doing yoga or meditation outdoors may help you feel even more connected. Children have a little more freedom to be loud compared to an enclosed space.  Maybe your child reduces their stress by singing the same song over and over; but as the parent you might have the opposite reaction!

 

We still want to be safe when being outdoors – staying hydrated on hot days, using sun protection, avoiding dangerous areas, and letting others know where we will be.  Doing these things does not reduce the benefits of being outdoors – studies have never shown that people who use sun protection are more likely to be deficient in Vitamin D.

 

This time of year we often get to spend more time outdoors and there are many reasons this is good for our physical and emotional health.  Whether we are school aged or well past the time of elementary school, being outdoors both improves our stress and allows us to do the activities we need to do to help manage stress.