Feeling stressed? Getting out in nature might be that quick fix that you need.
When we’re stressed, our body is flooded with cortisol, which makes us feel horrible, and has a variety of negative long term effects. Being out in nature for at least 20 minutes can drop that cortisol level significantly.
A 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, showed that the cortisol drop from being in nature were at their greatest between 20 and 30 minutes and that benefits continued to accrue after that time, albeit at a slower rate.
Reducing cortisol isn’t the only benefit of being out in nature. If you’re in a forest, at least during summer, you will be inhaling essential oils called phytoncide which trees emit to protect themselves from germs and insects. These phytoncides have the benefit of improving our immune system so not only will we feel better, our immune system will be getting stronger at the same time.
Of all the ways I teach to reduce anxiety, this is the one that I personally use the most. I try to get out in nature for at least an hour a day.