Mental health assistance and the impact of nature
Mental health issues have been on the increase in
our current social isolation environment. The whole act of distancing and
staying indoors has made people that feel depressed and isolated even more so.
City life is often great for work life and social life under normal
circumstances but this may not always be good for your mental health either as
it creates mental chatter for some. City life may mean being close to shops,
schools, public transport and restaurants under usual circumstances but it also
means there is a lot of noise, limited space and more air pollution. Nature also
has its limits in these areas and the lack of greenery can mentally affect us.
Most urban environments make room for some parks,
grass areas, trees known as green areas and the landscape is often interspersed
with ocean or lakes, and rivers known as blue spaces. It is known that urban
environments with green and blue areas have less depression, stress and
anxiety.
Even though there is an association of better
mental health around these blue and green spaces there are other specifics that
need to be considered for mental health. Some of these include how many of
these spaces are needed, how big they should be, are they spaced around so that
you can access these areas easily no matter where you are and how much time
should we spend in these environments.
Ways in which they improve mental health
There are different ways in which green and blue
environments, namely those of nature, help to improve mental health. These
areas tend to be healthier all round as it has been found they are cooler, less
polluted and are quieter, they allow you the space needed to exercise freely in
the outdoors with plenty of space, they provide a quiet place to meet socially
and even just seeing this type of environment can help improve your health.
Being in and around nature has been linked to
people reducing their stress. Stressing too much causes an excess in the
hormone cortisol which is linked to people being in a bad mood. Nature can also
be good for the immune system which is why advice in these times of Covid 19 to
do some outdoor exercise daily is good advice. It will lift your spirits,
increase your oxygen intake and help get you in shape.
If you are struggling with mental health
If you find that you are becoming increasingly
stressed, anxious or are in a low mood, you should try to increase your time
out in nature, go for a walk in the park, watch the wind blow the leaves on the
trees and listen to the birds and other animals around. Although this isn’t a
cure for your aches, pains and worries it is a small step towards relaxation and
may help calm your mood and lift your spirits. Add to this some natural
supplements to boost your immunity, meditation and yoga, perhaps writing your
thoughts into a journal and exercising with a friend and some of that
negativity will be released. If you find you are struggling with emotional
difficulties or are unable to find a release from the negative moods, please seek
help and speak with a counselor or therapist who will steer you in the right
direction to help alleviate your issues.
Pic - Angelique Downing - Burst
Pic - Angelique Downing - Burst
No comments:
Post a Comment