Nature is an incredible resource for maintaining our mental health. Simply being outside and experiencing green spaces has proven beneficial to us. Health Awareness Week 2021 is all about the potent value of nature on our minds. Spending time in nature and connecting with the natural world is a free and positive way to help us live happier lives.
Numerous studies on the subject make connections between experiencing nature and improvements to our psychological health, such as the study Understanding Nature and Its CognitiveΒ Benefits by Kathryn E. Schertz and Marc G. Berman . Being in nature can even help you study. Researchers found that taking micro breaks to view a meadow green rooftop improved studentβs attention rates. Read more about it here.
Looking for ideas of what to do and where to visit? The Scottish wildlife trust has many options:
On your own and would like to not only connect with nature but people? There is an Edinburgh meetup group you can join here:
For a detailed guide on how to use nature to thrive, you can read this free PDF from Mentalhealth.org and Β if you need any help or support, you can find it here.