If we’re really honest with ourselves (which can be hard, but it’s usually necessary), most of us spend far too much time looking at screens – phones, laptops, tablets, TVs… it never stops. And that means it’s like our eyes and brains are always working, even when we’re meant to be relaxing. That’s why nature is such a wonderful relief. It gives your mind space to breathe, and it’s quiet, calm, and full of simple things that help you feel more like yourself. With that in mind, keep reading to find out more about why nature is the best escape from your screen.
Your brain needs a rest
When you’re staring at a screen all day, your brain gets tired, and even if you’re not doing anything stressful, your eyes are still working hard because you’re reading, scrolling, thinking, reacting, and loads of other things – it’s non-stop.
But when you go outside, perhaps into a park, a garden, or even just your street, it’s different. There aren’t any lights and beeps and constant updates, and you’ll just have fresh air, birds, maybe a comforting breeze… in the end, your brain doesn’t have to do much at all, and that’s going to help you feel relaxed and refreshed.
You’ll feel better in your body too
Nature isn’t just good for your mind – it’s great for your body as well. Walking on grass or through trees is ideal because it helps you move without you even having to think about it much (and it definitely won’t feel like exercise). This is gentle movement that’s going to help your muscles, joints, and even your breathing.
And you don’t have to run a marathon or climb a mountain – you can just move your body in nature for 15 minutes or so, and that’s going to lift your mood, and help you feel so much calmer as a result.
There’s always something fun to do
Nature doesn’t have to mean walking around – you can sit by a lake, have a picnic, go for a scenic bike ride, and so on. You could even try something new, like using a stand up paddle board on a nearby river or lake if the feeling takes you.
As long as whatever you’re doing is relaxing (to you, even if it might not be for someone else), fun, and different from what you’d usually be doing if you were inside, that’s going to help you and be good for you, so it’s a great reason to get outside and see what you can do – you never know what might be on offer when you start looking.
It helps you connect with people
One of the best things about being outside is that it helps you talk to people – when you’re not all glued to your phones, you notice things, and when you notice things as a group, that’s going to lead to more discoveries, more adventure, more laughter, and so on.
Going on a walk or sitting in the sun with someone you care about feels totally different to texting or chatting online – it’s calmer, more fun, and you’ll remember it more fondly as well, so why not arrange it soon and see how good it makes you feel afterwards?
It can help you sleep
Spending time outside during the day, even if it’s just for a little while, can actually help you sleep better at night, so there’s another brilliant benefit to enjoy. The fact is that your body likes natural like because it helps keep your sleep schedule on track. And when your eyes aren’t staring at screens right before bed, your mind finds it a lot easier to settle.
But what’s really beneficial is that sleep feels deeper, and you’ll wake up feeling ready for the day ahead – and that’s all from getting outside and letting your brain and body properly slow down.
You don’t have to go far
You don’t need a big, extensive plan of loads of time to enjoy nature – you just need to open the door and step outside. Walk to the shops (the long way if you can), eat your lunch on a bench, sit in the garden or on your balcony… Nature doesn’t involve you doing anything if you don’t want to, and you don’t need to invest in any equipment if that doesn’t suit.
And what’s important to keep in mind is that even just five or ten minutes can help, and once you notice how good it makes you feel, you’ll probably want to do it more often anyway.
