One big lesson we learned during the pandemic was the importance of nature on our mental health. Remember when it felt like the walls were closing in and how much freer and healthier we felt when the weather warmed up and we were able to get outdoors? Despite the fact the pandemic is behind us, experts say there are so many great benefits to making time for nature.
There is a great article in Men's Health that discusses the 20-5-3 Nature Pyramid. The bottom of the pyramid is 20 minutes. We should be spending 20 minutes outside in nature three times per week. Doing this can reduce our cortisol, the hormone that is produced when we are stressed, the hormone that fluffs up our mid-section.
One important aspect to the Nature Pyramid is that if you use your phone, it defeats everything. A walk in nature is mindfulness, it produces the positive effects of meditation without the stillness and concentrated breathing.
Five hours is next on the Nature Pyramid. Experts say you should immerse yourself in the woods for five hours per month. They did an experiment and put people in three different places: a city center, a city park and a nature park. The people in the parks felt more zen and less stressed than those in the city center. The more "nature-y" the better.
Three Days. Three days is the last part of the Nature Pyramid. Experts recommend that every year, you spend three days off the grid. You go somewhere rustic where cell phone service is sketchy. Go camping, rent a cabin in the woods, get off the grid. Three days in nature can boost creativity and assist in problem solving abilities.
Where are your favorite nature spots?