Why You Should Bring the Outdoors In This Winter
The benefits of being outside in nature are well-documented. It has been shown to boost mood, reduce stress, improve attention, and increase happiness. However, it can be hard to find the time to get outdoors between work, chores, plans, and other obligations. This can become even more challenging during the winter months as the days gets shorter, the temperature colder, and the weather harsher.
The good news? Research shows that you can bring the outdoors inside and still reap the benefits!
Check out the tips below for ways on how to bring nature to you:
Become a Plant Parent
Indoor plans have been found to be associated with reduced stress and negative emotions. Further, taking care of plants has been found to lead to feelings of calmness and comfort!
Any greenery is beneficial, but if possible, choose plants with softer edges. Leafier plants, such as a ficus, have shown to be more soothing than those with sharp or jagged edges, like a cactus.
Put out Flowers
If you don’t have a green thumb and have no interest in cultivating one, consider having flowers out! They would need to be replaced regularly but you wouldn’t have to worry about watering them like you would a houseplant. You can even support your local florist or grocery store in the process!
Add Art to your Space
While looking at the “real thing” is ideal, looking at a picture of nature is the next best option! Consider adding photographs or paintings of nature scenes to your home and/or office. You can also make them your phone’s lock screen, computer’s background, or screensaver!
Incorporate Natural Color Schemes
Incorporating earth or sea tones throughout your home can have a soothing effect. Next time you’re decorating a room, consider where you can add greens and blues to mimic nature.
Listen to Nature Sounds
Listening to nature sounds can be very calming. If you’re able to, open a window to listen to the wind in the trees or nearby water. If this isn’t a feasible option, consider getting something like a small fountain where you can listen to the sounds of the water. If these don’t work, find a video or playlist online to play bird sounds, babbling brook, rain, ocean waves, etc.
Use Candles or Essential Oils
Consider all your senses! When you’re out in nature, you can smell the wood from the forest, the salt in an ocean breeze, the floral scent of a garden. Pick candles or essential oils of the scents that you find most soothing.
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Resources
Colino, S. (2023, June 2). Bringing nature inside can improve your health. here’s how to do it. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2023/06/02/how-to-outdoors-nature-home/
Lee, M., Lee, J., Park, B.-J., & Miyazaki, Y. (2015). Interaction with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress by suppressing autonomic nervous system activity in young adults: A randomized crossover study. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-015-0060-8
Tang, P. M., Klotz, A. C., McClean, S. T., Wang, Y., Song, Z., & Ng, C. T. (2023). Who needs nature? the influence of employee speciesism on nature-based need satisfaction and subsequent work behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 108(11), 1737–1765. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001104
Disclaimer
We want you to be well and to live your best life. The content in this blog is provided for the purposes to educate and entertain you: our very important reader. It is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical advice from a trained healthcare professional.
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Listen to your care providers as they know you and your condition best. Thank you for reading!
The Team at BSDI