Wellness in Nature

Spending time in nature can benefit mental and physical well-being. From creating a sensory experience while growing vegetables and fruits in a garden, to hiking and exploring a forest preserve, even a short amount of time spent in nature can improve overall health.

  • Be present and aware in the moment.
  • Observe the world around you.
  • Appreciate the natural environment you are in.

Explore the health benefits of being present in nature and discover simple activities to foster experiences in the natural world with Wellness in Nature resources developed by Illinois Extension Family Life and Horticulture educators.

Benefits of Spending Time in Nature

Besides nature helping us connect to something larger than ourselves, research finds many benefits to being outside or just around green spaces. An extensive list of journal articles highlighting research on what could be called "ecotherapy" showed that being in nature can:

  • Significantly improve mild depression through walks and gardening
  • Decrease rumination and aggressiveness
  • Increase one's ability to think about and solve personal problems and improve creative problem-solving
  • Reduce stress and anxiety
  • Reduce instances of diabetes, infectious diseases, cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal complaints, migraines, and respiratory disease

Some programs and studies target veterans with PTSD, teenagers with addictions, relationship issues, low self-esteem, and children with ADD/ADHD, which have had positive results with natural interventions.

The World Health Organization identifies stress and low physical activity as two of the leading contributors to premature death in developed nations. Could nature be the answer when exposure to nearby nature can effectively reduce stress, or simply having a view of nature produces recovery benefits?

Anyone can practice mindfulness in nature. The main suggestion is to get outside! It does not have to be a forest but could be a local park or even your backyard. Turn off your phone! Take your time and just take in the silence or sounds of nature. Try to engage all your senses – what you see, hear, and feel. Just be mindful and focus on what is around you and going on in that moment and appreciate what you experience. You may even want to meditate, journal, or draw.

Stimulate Your Senses

Think about the last time you just sat in your garden, breathing in the fresh herbal scents, listening to the naturally occurring sounds, and enjoying the arrangement of colorful blooms and foliage. The garden is a wonderful place to stimulate our senses, which in turn promotes our physical health and well-being.

Use all five senses to connect with nature to encourage awareness of our surroundings and heighten responses to them. Being mindful in the garden gives people more appreciation for life, improves our focus and attention, and improves our cognitive function and well-being.

colorful pink, purple, and orange zinna flowers

Sight

Contrasting color, texture, light, shadow, and form in the garden can all stimulate our sense of sight. Warm colors, like red, orange, and yellow, are energizing, while cool colors, like blue, purple, and white, are relaxing. The plants selected should be both stimulating and calming. Bright mixes of garden zinnias (Zinnia elegans) or giant yellow sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) towering above the garden make for an invigorating pop of color, and both will attract beautiful butterflies to the garden. 

catmint leaves and flowers

Smell

The sense of smell is often the strongest human sense, with the potential to bring back specific memories and experiences to individuals. Some plants release scent naturally without the need for touch (roses), while others do not release a scent until they are rubbed or crushed (geranium). Catmint (Nepeta mussinii), a hardy perennial that produces pale purple flowers from May to September releases a light lavender-like scent when the leaves are rubbed. 

four goldfinches at birdfeeder full of black sunflower seeds

Sound

Some sounds in the garden occur naturally—wind blowing through the plants, or leaves crunching beneath our feet. Wind chimes and water fountains can add a calming sound, as well. Bird feeders and baths can attract our feathered friends to visit the garden to play their songs. Ornamental grasses, like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), rustle in the wind. Dried seed pods on false blue indigo (Baptisia australis) can make natural maracas as the seed rattles against the hard pod. 

brightly-colored red, yellow, and orange nasturtiums in a home garden

Taste

A variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be added to a sensory garden to explore tastes in the garden. Edible flowers, including nasturtium and pansy, also make tasty additions. Clearly identify which plants are edible in the garden.

closeup of fuzzy-textured lamb's ear plant

Touch

A variety of textures to explore, including rough, smooth, fuzzy, and even sticky should be offered through plant bark, foliage, flowers, seeds, and fruits. Tough plants that can withstand frequent handling should be selected. Lamb's ear (Stachys byzantine) is a favorite fuzzy leaf plant to include. 

Sensory Gardens

A sensory garden is thoughtfully designed to include and arrange specific plants to engage and stimulate one or more of the five senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. While often geared toward young children, sensory gardens can be enjoyed by all ages. They can also be therapeutic for individuals with developmental or physical disabilities, sensory processing disorders, or cognitive challenges. 

Just like with any garden, select plants that are hardy in your area, and of assorted colors, heights, textures, and bloom times. To ensure safety in the garden, plants should be non-toxic, and pesticides should not be applied. A sensory garden is a perfect place for anyone to explore their senses, learn about plants, and connect with our natural world.

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