motivation

Relaxing Properties of Nature – 10 Reasons Why Being in the Nature is Good for You

life hacks, Lifestyle

Are you feeling a bit stressed lately? Tired? Irritable? Anxious? Maybe even a little depressed? Sluggish? It’s ok, autumn is here, winter is coming, days are colder and shorter and this year has been incredibly frustrating and strange.

Let me ask you another question? How much time have you spent in nature lately? The answer to this question may give you simple explanation of why are you feeling a bit down and under the weather lately. It’s not a myth, spending time in nature can help relieve stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and boost feelings of happiness and wellbeing. Whatever you call it , forest walking, ecotherapy, hiking, mindfulness in nature, green time or the wilderness cure, humans evolved in the great outdoors, and your brain benefits from a journey back to nature.

The way you spend time out in nature can affect how much your physical, emotional and mental health will benefit from it. So go outside to relax, relieve stress or anxiety, focus your mind, and improve your health and well-being, you definitely won’t regret it. You will even benefit from it.

There are undeniable benefits for your mental health when you spend time in nature, like lower stress and better memory.  But if you’re usually glued to a screen, computer, TV, or any other kind, you may have forgotten exactly how relaxing in nature works.

Here’s why it’s healthy and beneficial to spend some time outdoors and hug a tree or two.

You Feel Happier

According to one Finnish study, spending just 15 minutes sitting in nature helped people feel psychologically restored. If you spend time walking in nature, and not just sitting, the mental restoration happens even faster.

Walks In Nature Help Your Memory

Taking a walk is always a good idea, but one study from University of Michigan showed how amazing nature is. Participants who took a walk in nature versus a walk in the city performed 20% better on a memory test.

You Can Concentrate Better

Taking a break in nature can improve your concentration by giving your brain a well needed break. Leave your phone behind and let your mind unwind from the overstimulation brought on by modern busy life.

Nature Can Heal

One study shows that people exposed to more natural light healed faster from a spinal surgery and had less pain. Nature worked as a natural drug for them because they also needed less pain medications.

Nature Prompts Weight Loss

Being outside and enjoying a nature is not a magical diet pill, unfortunately, but it does tend to make exercise more enjoyable. Some aspects of outdoor exercise like hiking may help you lose weight in an unexpected ways. Spending time at higher altitudes can speed up your metabolism and decrease your apetite.

Vitamin D Is Good for You

Spending time in the sun helps your body create vitamin D – a vitamin that studies have shown may help prevent cancer, osteoporosos, and heart attack.

Nature Helps You To De-Stress

Being in nature can and will reduce stress in your body. Studies show spending time outdoors can lower your heart rate, help you relax and even sleep much better.

Nature Keeps You Youthful

Want to be forever young? Or at least to age gracefully? Going outside every day may be the key. One study showed those in their 70s who spent time outdoors every day had fewer complaints of common aging pains, like aching bones and poor sleep than those who didn’t.

Nature Brightens Your Mood

Nature helps you in many ways, including mental health. Multiple studies have linked nature walks with improved mental health.

Nature Boosts Your Immune System

A Japanese study showed women who spent six hours in the woods over a two day period increased their white blood cells, which fight viruses, and the boost lasted about a week after the experiment. Imagine what happens if you spend some time in nature every day!

Do you like to spend your time in the nature?

How To Make A Self Care Jar

Lifestyle

What is self-care? Self-care is a general term that describes everything you do deliberately for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. It may sound simple but many of us pay little attention to self-care. Self-care is an important part of living a healthy and happy lifestyle. Looking after yourself both mentally and physically is crucial to taking control of your health.

We lead increasingly busy lives and it can be easy to forget to put yourself first, especially if you have multiple responsibilities and other people to care for. But looking after yourself will make you feel better, and the better you feel, the better you will be in all areas of your life – from work to relationships.

Self-care doesn’t have to involve a huge time commitment and it doesn’t have to cost the earth. It could be taking a bath, relaxing with a good book, taking a walk outside or eating your favourite food. It’s about making a commitment to putting yourself first, even just for a while. 

A big part of self-care is committing to looking after your body and becoming more attuned with its needs. Whether it’s brushing your hair, exercising more or getting enough sleep each night, part of any programme of self-care should focus on looking after your health and well-being.

Making time for relaxing activities, such as taking a warm bath, listening to music or practising yoga or meditation, is another common theme of self-care. Any activity that makes you feel more relaxed can help to reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety and to lift your mood.

Self-care has a number of benefits, most of which are interlinked. Committing to self-care should improve your well-being all round. But, you might wonder how to practice self care?

Ever heard of a “self-care jar?” It’s a jar that contains random self care ideas to help you relax and enjoy your “me time”. You pick a random note every day from your jar and you are required to do that no matter what. It is also a great way to add some spontaneity and fun into your self-care routine.

Let’s be honest here for a moment, self-care isn’t always easy and fun and it’s hard to keep up a routine that actually lasts. Sometimes it takes a lot of mental effort to keep choosing your own health and well-being over everything else. Having a self-care jar will ensure you never forget to take care of yourself everyday.

How to make a self-care jar?

Making a self-care jar is super easy. All you need is a used and clean mason jar, some pieces of paper (white or colored one), a pen, some art materials if you are feeling creative (bows, glitter, etc), and a mind full of great self care ideas you really want to start doing.

Write down ideas and focus on those that help you relax, lift your mood, and give you much needed care. Some good ideas might be: a hot bubble bath, spa night, reading, massage, watch a movie, go outside, workout, meditate, learn something new, try out a new recipe, bake some cookies, listen your favorite music, start a scrapbook, write a letter to someone you love…

Pop all ideas into your jar. Don’t forget to decorate your jar. Make it pretty! Be creative.

Take one piece of paper every day when you need a little “me time” and relaxation. Don’t cheat! Every day is your day, you just need to make some time for yourself. Never forget to take care of yourself. Remember that!

What do you think about this idea? Will you make your own self-care jar? Let me know how it turned out and how do you practice self-care.