"The Natural Way to Calm Down" is by being active and involved in nature, according to Prevention Magazine.
"Researchers are discovering that surrounding yourself with nature can be one of the most powerful stress-relievers out there.
In a recent study published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning, scientists measured the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in 25 healthy adults in Scotland and asked them to fill out questionnaires about what stresses them out at home and at work. They then compared that information to the number of parks, woodlands, and other natural environments in each participant's zip code.
Those who lived in the areas with the most amount of green space had lower levels of cortisol, and their self-reported feeling of stress were lower than those who spent more time in urban settings.
So what’s behind this—are people getting buzzed on the scent of freshly cut grass?
Turns out, that’s not as crazy as it sounds. When it comes to alleviating stress, there's just something about being in our natural element that's hard to beat, says lead study author Catharine Ward Thompson, director of the OPENspace Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Wide open spaces mean more opportunities to boost your health. For one thing, getting outside forces you to get a little exercise, and exercise is the best natural mood booster there is. For another, being out and about makes you more likely to encounter neighbors and friends, and social contact is another no-fail way to cut stress, says Thompson.
Bing a city dweller doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a happiness deficit. It just means you might need to make more of an effort get your nature fix, such as walking through that park on your way to work. "Take advantage of opportunities to visit a green space as often as possible, even if only for five minutes, to help enhance your wellbeing and reduce your stress levels," says Thompson.
And five minutes outside is all it takes get the mood-boosting effect, according to a 2010 study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Researchers found that people experienced the largest boosts to their mood and self-esteem after just spending five minutes outside doing some form of light exercise, like walking.
Need some ideas for getting more nature into your life? Try these:
Do anything you'd normally do inside, outside. Move your daily yoga sessions to your back porch, or do your taxes online while sitting on your patio taking in the breeze. Eat outside, or trade the treadmill for a run on a trail.
Get your afternoon pick-me-up from a walk, not your coffee. Instead of your usual afternoon java hit—and the jitters that come with it—talk a quick stroll around the outside perimeter of your office building.
Schedule moving meetings. Professors at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis came up with the idea of "Meetings on the Move" to get office workers out from behind their desks. Replacing a conventional sit-down meeting with an outdoor walk-and-talk not only gives you the benefit of exercise; the change of scenery can spur more creative ideas."
*********************************************************************************************from Prevention Magazine, "The Natural Way to Calm Down", article by Emily Main
Read more: http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/spending-time-outside-relieves-stress#ixzz2bmNNl1FS
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