If you’ve ever met a person who firmly believes squirrels are an espionage tool of the government or a child who spends all of his free time wiping his nose and scrolling on his iPad, you may have told them to “touch grass.” While the colloquial use of this phrase is meant as a passive-aggressive encouragement to “get with the program” or “acknowledge reality,” in its most literal sense it is one of the best pieces of advice one could give. According to an article published by the BBC, spending even a short amount of time outside each day results in a number of significant benefits, such as reducing stress, enhancing mood, improving focus, and boosting physical health. As today’s world grows increasingly fast-paced and cutthroat, it becomes increasingly necessary that we stop and smell the roses.
The “biophilia hypothesis” posits that humans, as natural creatures, are inclined to benefit from spending time in nature. This hypothesis has led to the development of two prevailing theories: the Stress Reduction Theory and the Attention Restoration Theory. The Stress Reduction Theory explains that spending time in nature activates the nervous system to reduce stress responses. Multiple independent studies have shown that spending time outside is strongly correlated with reduced levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, and an article from Harvard Health shows that spending even 20 to 30 minutes outside three times a week is extremely effective in this regard. Another study suggests that spending time outdoors provides necessary distractions from the daily grind and has reduced physical stress responses in college students, allowing them to return to their studies with renewed focus and motivation. A corollary result to reduced stress is enhanced mood, and a study conducted in the UK found that with each additional hour spent in natural light, the odds of developing major depressive disorders, using antidepressants, or developing neurotic symptoms decreased while overall mood increased. This effect is noticeable not just on the individual level, but also in the workplace. A study conducted on the staff members of a university in the Southeast found that incorporating a window, houseplant, or relaxing outdoor campus into the workplace was directly linked to increased job satisfaction, likely due to the employees’ reduced stress levels.
In addition to reducing stress, the Attention Restoration Theory explains that mental fatigue as a result of our modern environment can be counteracted with spending time in nature. A 2012 study found that individuals who took walks in natural environments as opposed to urban environments saw a greater increase in working memory and attention spans. Nature contains more relaxing stimuli that grab our attention in gentle, dosed amounts, allowing our brains time to process and direct our attention in more efficient ways, whereas urban environments are often dramatic and vie for our immediate attention to stimuli in rapid succession, which over time becomes mentally exhausting. The restorative nature of the outdoors provides a reprieve from the overstimulating urban world, allowing for this increase in cognitive function.
Mental and physical health are strongly linked, so it’s no surprise that time spent outdoors is good for our bodies as well as our minds. Vitamin D is a necessary nutrient used in bone health and immunity, and one of our best natural sources of vitamin D is sunlight. Factors such as geographic location, skin tone, sunscreen, and season can affect how much vitamin D the body is able to synthesize in a given time, but generally doctors recommend spending 30 minutes in the sun to provide necessary UV exposure while also minimizing risks of skin damage. Additionally, being outdoors provides an ideal opportunity for some light exercise, and regular physical activity is consistently linked to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic conditions, and cancer. Exercising outdoors provides more variety in settings, which can motivate people to exercise more often and for longer periods of time.
Furthermore, outdoor activities often involve community engagement, which is critical for developing social skills and fostering relationships. Community events such as fundraiser runs, group retreats, and camping trips form core memories, forge lasting relationships, and encourage empathy among group members, all aspects of a well-rounded social life. Many also find that an occasional nature plunge allows them to reconnect spiritually (a sentiment shared by many of the seniors who went to the Wilds), and Jesus Himself was most often seen teaching, not in a classroom, but on a hillside, in a boat, or out in town.
Going outside might not always be our go-to way to spend an afternoon, especially when we are constantly bombarded with indoor distractions like phones, video games, and the never-ending to-do list, but our hermit-like lifestyles are actively working against us as we pursue our goals. You don’t need to become a wilderness explorer overnight, but take half an hour today to step outside, touch grass, and enjoy the world you are so blessed to live in.
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/a-20-minute-nature-break-relieves-stress
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14729679.2018.1507831
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8892387/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3072911/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3393816/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19121124/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8299926/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9914639/
