Nature contact includes small scale contact, visual contact, residential proximity, hands on experience, exercising in nature, and having an immersive experience (such as camping in the woods for a week without any technology). All of these forms of contact have been proven in multiple studies to reduce stress, depression, anxiety, aggression, ADHD symptoms, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, certain allergies, and to improve sleep, happiness, social behavior, physical activity, post-surgical recovery, pain control, birth outcomes, eyesight, health in cancer patients, general health, and life expectancy. As you can see, there are so many benefits to going outside and no single medication could improve our life this much, so take a break from studying and go for a walk, or bring a blanket outside and study on the grass!
According to a study in Chicago, there is less aggression and better academic records for those who live in public housing near nature versus those living in public housing without near access to nature, and a study in London showed that there was a reverse relation between tree density in the streets and antidepressant use. Why? Here are some possibilities: improved air quality due to plants and trees, getting more physical activities while walking or running through green spaces, and getting more social connectedness while out with friends in nature. I’m someone who very much enjoys nature and the environment, so I’m always outside and doing something crazy like camping in the woods, hiking in Yosemite, water rafting in California, zip-lining in Costa Rica, and exploring in Peru. I can tell you from personal experience that whenever I spend my day outside being active, I feel happier and I sleep better. But whenever I don’t get to go out for a while, I always feel more stressed out and less social, I just want to curl up in bed and watch Netflix.
Now you might think about going out more often, but you might wonder “I’m in the middle of nowhere Georgia, where am I supposed to go?” so I made a list of ten outdoors-y places to go!
- Black Shoals Park at Randy Poynter Lake in Conyers
- Big Haynes Creek Nature Center in Conyers
- Cornish Creek Reservoir/Lake Varner in Covington
- Lewis Vaughn Botanical Gardens in Conyers
- Rockdale County Master Gardener Arboretum in Conyers
- Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon
- Antebellum Trail Bicycle Route in Eatonton
- Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge in Round Oak
- Peach Blossom Trail in Perry
- Zip-Lining and Water Rafting in Helen