Why Spending Time Relaxing Outside May Help with Your Anxiety

It almost sounds too good to be true: A way to manage anxiety that’s easy for many people and usually costs nothing.

The simple, straightforward technique of spending time outdoors can be an effective way to find relief from anxiety. You might not think of nature time and outdoor relaxation as therapy. But mental health professionals say it has its place in helping those suffering from anxiety and other mental health disorders.

“There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well-being,” said Lisa Nisbet, PhD, a psychologist and researcher at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, in an article on the American Psychological Association’s website.

“You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature,” according to Nisbet. “And the sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you’re not physically immersed in nature.”

What the research shows

Many studies in recent years have shown an association between time spent in nature and positive health benefits, including mental health.

In fact, a field of study known as ecotherapy has emerged, focusing on these health benefits. Sometimes known as nature therapy or green therapy, ecotherapy is defined generally as the “ability of interaction with nature to enhance healing and growth,” according to a 2018 review published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

In a new book, Nature Therapy, the editors promote time in nature as an effective way to supplement traditional medical care for healing and restoration. The editors, Yonatan Kaplan, M.D., and Petros Levounis, M.D., say there are three main benefits, according to a story on the American Psychiatric Association’s website:

• “Exposure to nature encourages relaxation in stressed people.
• Humans feel instinctual connection with other living organisms.
• Natural environments are inherently fascinating and can hold attention without causing mental fatigue.”

Studies vary on how much time outdoors is enough to produce mental health and other benefits.

A survey of nearly 20,000 people in England, taken in 2014-2016, found that spending about two hours or more in nature per week was associated with participants reporting good health or wellbeing. A 2019 story in The New York Times said benefits were lower at 60 to 90 minutes a week outdoors, and no additional benefits were seen at five hours a week.

When researchers in China conducted a meta-analysis, or study of studies, which was published in the journal Reviews on Environmental Health, they found evidence that overall, outdoor exposure correlated with alleviation of anxiety. Additionally, their analysis found that periods of 30 minutes or less of outdoor exposure showed greater anxiety alleviation than 30 minutes to two hours. However, the authors note that the studies showed a lot of variability in relation to anxiety relief from outdoor exposure.

Nature therapy: Some limitations

Although being in nature has its benefits for mental health, clinicians and therapists caution against using ecotherapy as a replacement for widely accepted forms of medical and mental health treatment.

Much is known about the benefits of anxiety treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as well as medications for anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. Research on combining these traditional treatments with nature therapy is limited, however.

One study noted that pressure from others to get outside may reduce the some of the benefits of experiencing nature for people with mental health disorders. A 2021 story on the American Psychiatric Association website, that highlighted the study, noted how some of the benefits of experiencing nature were lost – and anxiety increased – when people felt that others were telling them they needed to spend time in nature.

The researchers cautioned that so-called “green prescriptions” from clinicians needed to be delivered in a way that didn’t undermine patients’ own desires for the great outdoors.

How to make the most of your time outside

There are countless ways to enjoy the mental health benefits of experiencing nature – and they come without specific instructions.

“Nature is not like a pill you get prescribed by your doctor that you have to take in small doses every day,” Mathew P. White, an environmental psychologist at the University of Exeter in England, who led the study cited in The New York Times, said in the story. “What matters most is that you’re able to fit it into your lifestyle.”

With summer upon us, this could be an ideal time to give outdoor relaxation a try. Going for a walk, visiting a local park with a friend or family member, walking your dog, and simply sitting outside observing nature are some easy and effective methods.

Additional ways of potentially alleviating anxiety by being in nature, including some that are more involved and immersive than others, are included in a WebMD story on nature therapy:

• “Adventure therapy. This uses activities that explore nature and can be done in an individual or group setting. Rafting and rock climbing are good examples.
• Animal-assisted interventions or therapy. Both of these options include spending time with animals. Animal-assisted interventions use locations like farms where you can pet or feed the animals. On the other hand, animal-assisted therapy focuses on building a therapeutic relationship with animals like dogs or horses.
• Arts and crafts. Like the name suggests, this type combines creative crafts with nature. You might use your creative skills to paint in a green space, like a park or a forest. This type also includes using natural materials like clay, grass, or wood or using green spaces as inspiration for art.
• Conservation pairs protection spaces in nature with physical exercise.
• Dark nature. Dark nature activities take place at night, so you might practice stargazing, for example.
• Green exercise. Here, you’ll do physical activities in green spaces. That could be running, going on a walk, or taking a bike ride, for example.
• Therapeutic farming. With this type, you’ll participate in farming activities, so you might grow crops or take care of farm animals.
• Therapeutic horticulture. This involves gardening, so you might grow food in community gardens. Sometimes therapeutic horticulture leads to other activities, like selling home-grown crops at a farmer’s market.
• Wilderness therapy. This type of therapy works well in a group. You’ll spend time in the wild doing activities like hiking or making shelters.”

For more information about this topic and other topics, please visit:

https://genesight.com/blog/movement-as-medicine-solutions-for-anxiety/

https://genesight.com/blog/mindful-moments-tips-for-anxiety/