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In June 2010, the Journal of Environmental Psychology published the findings of a series of studies that were conducted to understand the effect that being in nature had on humans.  The findings support that being outside for just 20 minutes per day significantly increases a person's vitality, mood and outlook.  This translates not only into having more energy to get through the day but also a resiliency to physical illnesses and depression.  Being outside makes people feel more alive and gives them a heightened sense of well-being.  Studies also support that people who spend a significant time in nature are more caring and generous with their time and money.

"Nature is fuel for the soul, " says Richard Ryan, a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester. "Often when we feel depleted we reach for a cup of coffee, but research suggests a better way to get energized is to connect with nature."

Getting out into nature does require some level of physical activity (i.e. walking, hiking, biking, boating, swimming) and some level of social interaction (i.e. being with family or friends, encountering wildlife, connecting with nature and God).  But the benefits of the physical activity and social interaction when out in nature far outweigh similar experiences in an indoor setting (for example, running on a trail versus going to the gym and using a treadmill).  90% of the people in these studies said they felt better, happier and more energetic when they did an activity outdoors versus the same activity indoors.

The study also found that being in nature had a more profound effect on the participants than simply being outdoors.  All kinds of outdoors activities are encouraged, including golfing, skiing, scuba diving, camping, and whitewater rafting.  Studies of people who have gone on wilderness adventures show a euphoric effect when simply recalling the memories of their trip.

"We have a natural connection with living things," says Ryan. "Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more a part of our lives is critical, especially when we live and work in built environments."

This study underscores the importance of preserving open space and maintaining local, state and national parks.  People need to escape to the outdoors in its most natural state.  Parents need to expose their children to the wonders of nature.  Even workspaces should be designed with natural elements (i.e. windows, plants, fountains) to maximize productivity and employee well-being.

Get back to nature, it is good for the body and the soul!

"All those who love Nature she loves in return, and will richly reward, not perhaps with the good things, as they are commonly called, but with the best things, of this world; not with money and titles, horses and carriages, but with bright and happy thought, contentment and peace of mind."

~Sir John Lubbock (1834-1913, English biologist and archeologist)

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"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike."

~John Muir (1838-1914, naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club)

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"Love the animals, love the plants, love everything.  If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things.  Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better everyday. And you will come to love the whole world with an all-embracing love."

~Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881, Russian author)

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"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught."

~Baba Dioum (From a 1968 speech by the Senegalese poet and environmentalist)

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"The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need, if only we had the eyes to see."

~Edward Abbey (1927-1989, American author)

~Lisa

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Why You Need to Stop Blogging and Get Outside! Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.