How much time do you need to spend in nature to get the health benefits?

The idea came to do a series on the outdoors from a wellness perspective last year as some of the only opportunities to do something social was to get outside.  However, in getting outside, many of us realized that not only did it provide a solution to COVID but also to a lot of the feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress that were running amuck in our heads.  

Unfortunately after the lockdown restrictions were lifted, we found ourselves back inside and with those feelings.  So this month, we’re going to highlight all of the reasons that you should get back outside.  

Now for some research: 

There have been many experiments that prove time spent in nature (or even just looking at nature through a window) to not only be a benefit (Scientific Reports 2019) but also a preventative for depression and anxiety by 55% (2019 study in Denmark)!  

So getting outside and just being present with nature, it is truly a therapeutic experience.  But with our busy lives, most of us just don’t have time to pop off to the nearest park or nature trail on a daily basis.  So how much time do we need to get the therapeutic benefit of being outside and experiencing nature?   

 Researchers at the University of Michigan recently decided to  figure this exact question out. During the study that lasted eight weeks, the participants were asked to spend a range between 10 and 60 minutes with nature 3 times each week.  This nature experience included things like listening to birds from a balcony, sitting under a tree, or walking a trail at a park.  The researchers did salvia analysis on each subject looking at cortisol levels - the body’s stress hormone.  The researchers found that the magic number for maximum benefit in a reduction of the stress hormone cortisol, was 20 minutes three times a week.