Connecting with nature for better health and wellness

Being outdoors has immeasurable benefits for both our physical and mental wellbeing, and it only needs to be for a few mindful moments a day. 

I’m one of those people - I have a morning routine that I love. It helps that I’m more morning lark than night owl and I consider myself a morning person because that’s when I’m more switched on, receptive and energetic.

Each morning, I wake up, catch up on work emails from overnight (I have clients in many different time zones) and have a scroll through my social media whilst I’m waiting for a matcha green tea to cool down. Then after gulping down said tea (I don’t care for it much, if at all, I just know it’s green and therefore has to be good for me) I either go for a run, do a HIIT workout or practice some yoga. Then, the best bit. I make a pot of coffee (I sip this to make it last as long as possible, I love coffee) and sit outside on my balcony.

This is my half an hour. My mindful coffee time. No phone, no laptop, no children (I don’t have any), no tasks, just me, my coffee and the sounds of birds, neighbours pottering around and distant vehicles going about their business. And it’s the best half an hour of every day. It’s even the same routine at the weekend (for a freelancer, the emails don’t stop at 5 pm on a Friday!), albeit a little later in the day. 

If I don’t have this time outside, feeling connected with nature and the Great Outdoors, I feel frustrated, stuffy, unproductive and sometimes even sad. 

Admittedly, I’m a fair weather outdoors person. But as time has gone on, I haven’t let the cold, rain or wind stop me. I’ve even been known to sit outside under a golf umbrella in the rain, reading a few chapters of a particularly gripping book. Whether snow will stop me, remains to be seen. 

But whether you’re a morning person or not, being outside, whatever time of day, is incredibly beneficial. 

According to mental health charity, Mind, spending time outside, either walking, gardening or simply sitting can help to improve your mood, reduce feelings of stress and anger and make you feel more relaxed. Going a step further and joining an allotment, outdoor exercise class or walking group can help boost your confidence and sense of self-worth, provide peer support and help you be more active.

The physical benefits of exercising are well-known. But doing so outside adds extra benefits by helping to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, make us feel more awake and alive and allow us to focus and be more creative.  

So at your very next opportunity, seize the moment and get outside. Could your daily commute be adapted to include less time inside a car, bus or train, and more time walking outside? Could you get off a few stops earlier or use your lunch time to explore your local surroundings? Set your alarm 20 minutes earlier to allow yourself some time to simply sit outside with a coffee, switched on to only the sounds around you. Sit and listen, see what sounds you notice and take deep, mindful breaths as you do so. 

Consider spending some time at the weekend exploring local parks, nature trails, beaches or other outdoor spaces, especially the ones you’re not familiar with. You might discover something beautiful, fun, historic or unusual that you had no idea was nearby. 

Whether you’re in an urban or rural setting, take time to notice your surroundings, listen and enjoy the feeling of the warm sun, or cold air, on your face. Make it a habit and your physical and mental wellbeing will thank you for it.