The secret to beating stress could be as simple as going outside, according to an expert.
“The outdoors have so many amazing benefits for us,” general pediatrician Dr. Vanessa Slots told CBS Minnesota station WCCO.
“There are a lot of studies that show being in nature — even if it’s just sitting under a tree every day — lowers our stress, which can then in turn lower blood pressure, heart rate and those stress hormones, like cortisol,” she explained.
Not only can spending time in nature lower stress and ease depression, it may also improve memory and help people suffering from ADHD.
Spending time in nature boosts the feel-good hormones dopamine and endorphins, Kandi Wiens, a University of Pennsylvania researcher specializing in the study of stress, resilience and burnout, told The Post in March.
Endorphins are chemicals released by the body in response to pain or stress and are also released during pleasurable activities like spending time in nature, exercise, sex, laughing, meditation and eating chocolate, according to Harvard Health.
The stress-reducing effects of being in nature occur in as little as 10 minutes, Wiens explained in her book, “Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Resilience and Heal Your Relationship with Work.”
Whether you’re visiting a city park or hiking in the woods, spending time outdoors can give your mental health a boost.
“There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well-being,” Lisa Nisbet, a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, who studies connectedness to nature, told the American Psychological Association.
“You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature. And the sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you’re not physically immersed in nature,” she added.
Even the simple act of watching nature videos can lower stress, a 2023 study found.