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BENEFITS OF A NATURE BREAK
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• BY MARION SPÉE
A walk in the woods is always enjoyable, but people tend to overlook the many physical and mental health benefits of simply spending time in nature. In Japan, health care specialists have been prescribing shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” to their patients since the 1980s. The idea is to get people to take the time to observe nature, awaken their senses, listen to birds singing, and touch trees and stones, as a way of alleviating anxiety and mitigating the effects of depression. Some scientists attribute the positive impact of spending time in the woods to the volatile organic compounds given off by trees. In the city, too, green spaces are our natural allies. Spending time close to vegetation—whether it be gardening in a community garden or green alley, strolling or even sitting in a neighbourhood park—helps to reduce stress, fatigue and aggressive feelings, and improves your overall mood. In fact, what matters most is not the type of nature you have access to, but whether you spend time there regularly!
