Ellison on a rope swing in Hawaii. It makes me happy just looking at this picture. Nature is magic.
Ellison and I have both been under the weather lately -allergies and fall colds are causing us to feel run down more often than not. However, with the unseasonably warm weather here in Gainesville (90 degrees?!) we have been trying to get outside in hopes that some fresh air will get us on the road to recovery. Even if we aren't out hiking or exploring new areas, just an afternoon walk definitely lifts our spirits. Which got me thinking about the restorative powers of the outdoors, which then motivated me to actually put together a post I had been working on for awhile, but just hadn't completed (which is not a surprise to anyone who knows me). The following isn't intended to sound preachy, it's just meant to shed a little more light on a topic I feel is worth mentioning - the positive connection between spending time outside and improvements in our overall health.
So, start loving nature a little bit more. Go outside. Run around. Lay in the grass. Everybody. You, me, Ellison, my students. All of us. It will improve our physical, mental and emotional health. We'll learn new things, take deep breaths and if we do it once, we'll probably even want to do it again. We can do it alone, or with friends. We can take pictures and dogs, children and picnics.
So, start loving nature a little bit more. Go outside. Run around. Lay in the grass. Everybody. You, me, Ellison, my students. All of us. It will improve our physical, mental and emotional health. We'll learn new things, take deep breaths and if we do it once, we'll probably even want to do it again. We can do it alone, or with friends. We can take pictures and dogs, children and picnics.
One of the reasons Ellison and I started this blog was because we believe that being active outdoors makes us feel better. It's that simple. And that chances are it will make you feel better, too. The good news is that it looks like we're not the only ones. Science is has our back.
The healing powers of nature have long been known, but recently, as rapid urbanization has resulted in an alarming disconnect between people and the natural world, there has been a movement to scientifically prove these benefits in hopes of encouraging more people to get outside. Experts have made positive correlations between spending just 30 minutes outside a day with lower instances of (or improvement in symptoms related to) obesity, ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder, and a variety of psychopathologies. Psychologists are even recommending increased outdoor activity as treatment. It's called ecotherapy. While everyone can benefit from time spent outside, the key to establishing a lifelong connection to the natural world starts in childhood. Children who are exposed to daily unstructured outdoor play are healthier, happier and are more likely to care about the environment. While this seems so obvious, the amount of play time (and particularly play time spent outside) has greatly diminished for most children as a result of an increase in structured, supervised activities, a heightened sense of danger and fear related to the outdoors and technologies that cater to indoor fun.
We're all super busy just trying to get by and it's difficult to find time to do even one more little thing. But Ellison and I encourage you to at least glance at the list of readings we've put together below. You've probably heard of a number of these books and have maybe even read a few of them. If so, then you can attest to the healing power of nature as well as we can. If not, then we hope you will give the idea that nature is essential to a healthy life some thought and maybe even find ways to incorporate time outdoors into your weekly routine. And if you're a teacher, possibly find ways to incorporate more opportunities for your students to learn outdoors (forest kindergartens, anyone?). I will say, on this note, allowing my students (high school seniors) to study outside, having class outside in nice weather or just taking them on a simple walk in the open fields around school not only breaks up the monotony of the day (for them and me), but also adds a much appreciated element of relaxation to the class that does not diminish academic performance. I would argue the opposite, in fact.
These readings illustrate the connection between exposure to nature and overall well-being. I am by no means an expert (and have no connections to these books or articles other than I have read them over the years and happen to support the arguments made), but I can say that I (like many others) have struggled with real issues like ADHD, depression and anxiety, and incorporating regular outdoor activity into my everyday life has become a critical component in helping me manage my symptoms. I have had conversations with Ellison about this and I haven't tried to hide my struggles from her. I want her to know that while spending time doing things together outside is fun, it is also an important way in which we take care of our holistic health and that there are real consequences that result from a lack of exposure to nature, both as individuals and collective societies. She seems to understand, and I hope that Trevor and I have instilled a foundation strong enough that she will continue to value these principles as she gets older.
So check out our list! Did we leave off something essential? Feel free to add your own recommendations - Ellison and I would love to hear from you!
* Click on image to link to the book or article. Book covers and article photos not property of Girls in the Park.
The healing powers of nature have long been known, but recently, as rapid urbanization has resulted in an alarming disconnect between people and the natural world, there has been a movement to scientifically prove these benefits in hopes of encouraging more people to get outside. Experts have made positive correlations between spending just 30 minutes outside a day with lower instances of (or improvement in symptoms related to) obesity, ADHD, mood disorders, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder, and a variety of psychopathologies. Psychologists are even recommending increased outdoor activity as treatment. It's called ecotherapy. While everyone can benefit from time spent outside, the key to establishing a lifelong connection to the natural world starts in childhood. Children who are exposed to daily unstructured outdoor play are healthier, happier and are more likely to care about the environment. While this seems so obvious, the amount of play time (and particularly play time spent outside) has greatly diminished for most children as a result of an increase in structured, supervised activities, a heightened sense of danger and fear related to the outdoors and technologies that cater to indoor fun.
We're all super busy just trying to get by and it's difficult to find time to do even one more little thing. But Ellison and I encourage you to at least glance at the list of readings we've put together below. You've probably heard of a number of these books and have maybe even read a few of them. If so, then you can attest to the healing power of nature as well as we can. If not, then we hope you will give the idea that nature is essential to a healthy life some thought and maybe even find ways to incorporate time outdoors into your weekly routine. And if you're a teacher, possibly find ways to incorporate more opportunities for your students to learn outdoors (forest kindergartens, anyone?). I will say, on this note, allowing my students (high school seniors) to study outside, having class outside in nice weather or just taking them on a simple walk in the open fields around school not only breaks up the monotony of the day (for them and me), but also adds a much appreciated element of relaxation to the class that does not diminish academic performance. I would argue the opposite, in fact.
These readings illustrate the connection between exposure to nature and overall well-being. I am by no means an expert (and have no connections to these books or articles other than I have read them over the years and happen to support the arguments made), but I can say that I (like many others) have struggled with real issues like ADHD, depression and anxiety, and incorporating regular outdoor activity into my everyday life has become a critical component in helping me manage my symptoms. I have had conversations with Ellison about this and I haven't tried to hide my struggles from her. I want her to know that while spending time doing things together outside is fun, it is also an important way in which we take care of our holistic health and that there are real consequences that result from a lack of exposure to nature, both as individuals and collective societies. She seems to understand, and I hope that Trevor and I have instilled a foundation strong enough that she will continue to value these principles as she gets older.
So check out our list! Did we leave off something essential? Feel free to add your own recommendations - Ellison and I would love to hear from you!
* Click on image to link to the book or article. Book covers and article photos not property of Girls in the Park.
Last child in the woods - richard louvThis is the book that really brought national attention to the idea that kids may actually end up suffering lifelong consequences as a result of not spending enough time playing outside. I remember receiving this book as a gift from a student in my class many years ago. He had gone to hear the author speak about the concept of "nature-deficit disorder" and thought that I would appreciate Louv's viewpoint. He was right. Thank you so much, John! |  |
The Nature Principle - Richard LouvThis is the follow-up to Last Child in the Woods, published 7 years later, in 2012. Whereas Last Child in the Woods focused more on the issue of nature-deficit disorder, The Nature Principle addresses what we need to do both as parents and as a society to reconnect with nature. I love this book. It served as a motivating factor in my decision to start this blog with Ellison. |  |
Your brain on nature - |  |
how to raise a wild child - scott sampsonI just finished this book and loved it as both a parent and a teacher. Sampson (who is the paleontologist on the PBS KIDS show, Dinosaur Train) examines the need for nature in the lives of children from infants to teenagers, offers ways to incorporate more of the outdoors into our lives and even touches on how to affect environmental policy changes. A lot of what is in this book is widely known, but I still think it should be a "must-read" for anyone who interacts with kids! |  |
How walking in nature changes the brain - |  |
green spaces makes kids smarter - |  |
stanford researchers find mental health prescription: nature - |  |
kids need to offset 'screen time' with 'nature time' - |  |
Ellison, Trevor and I leave for our annual hiking trip in Tennessee tomorrow. While this is something that we look forward to as a family for many reasons, all three of us agree that a big part of the appeal is that we get to spend almost all of our time being physically active. Unlike other vacations, especially those in cities where we race around trying to fit in all the things we want to see/visit/do (which is fun in its own right - especially in NYC!), this trip to the Smoky Mountains relaxes us and restores our peace of mind. While we may not all have the luxury of long daily jaunts through the woods like those of Henry David Thoreau, hopefully we can all make a little more time to get outside.
"I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least — and it is commonly more than that — sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements."
- Henry David Thoreau
See you back here next weekend with some stories from the Smoky Mountain trails!
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