The Benefits of Being in Nature

Phoenix Park - Dublin - June 2021

I am part of a movement. There I said it.

I am part of a growing movement of people who use nature to actively boost their wellbeing, happiness and connectedness. I am also part of the outdoor coaching movement, inviting my clients to take the coaching conversation into nature, specifically into Phoenix Park in Dublin.

So why is it that being out in nature makes us feel good?

I have become a bit of a science and research nerd in recent years, hence my interest in understanding the WHY behind claims like: nature makes you happy.

What happens when you are out in nature - the research highlights

Physical Wellbeing

Research is pretty solid on the physical benefits of being outdoors. A big effect can be seen on your vitality. No matter if you go for a walk on your own or in company, being out in nature and greenspace makes you feel strong, active, and energetic (Ryan et al., 2010). Nature also has a calming effect on your body, you feel balanced and grounded. This happens, because your heart rate slows down, your blood pressure lowers and cortisol rates drop (Twohig-Bennett & Jones, 2018). So just being outside in nature can calm you down and energises you at the same time.

Mental Wellbeing

Let’s have a look at how your mental wellbeing can benefit from spending time in nature. This is where Positive Psychology comes in. We distinguish between two forms of wellbeing:

Hedonic wellbeing captures the good feelings we derive from experiences of pleasure and joy. It’s this moment of happiness and joy, when you laugh or smile and just feel good. The other form of wellbeing is eudaimonic wellbeing, which is experienced through activities that give us meaning and purpose. It’s a deeper kind of positive feeling, it doesn’t necessarily make you laugh out loud, but it gives you a feeling of deep satisfaction, balance and being at ease.

So how do these two flavours of wellbeing translate to you sitting on the grass, walking through a park or putting your feet into the sand at the beach?

Studies suggest that both types of wellbeing can be elevated by being out in nature. However, it seems the more you feel connected to nature, the more you can boost your eudaimonic wellbeing, that feeling of wellbeing that comes with having a sense of purpose and meaning. Having a strong sense of meaning and purpose in life is in turn connected to more personal growth in life and in work (Pritchard, Richardson, Sheffield & McEwan, 2019).

Let’s translate that into what this means for you: if you are experiencing a time in your life where you are struggling to name any meaningful activities in your life (your eudaimonic wellbeing is dipping a bit), one way to help you bring more purpose into your life is to spend more time outside in nature. Go explore nature around you and build a stronger connection to the land, trees, plants and animals.

Character Strengths & Nature

People who have worked with me know that I am a big fan of working with and learning from our character strengths. One of the character strengths strongly connected with nature is Zest. Zest is about approaching life with excitement and energy and jumping into a task full on. People high in zest tend to be excited to get up in the morning, boasting with energy before their first cup of coffee. They treat life as an adventure and are often more satisfied with their lives ("Zest | Character Strength | VIA Institute", 2021).

As with all character strengths, you can practice zest. And here is where mother nature comes into the mix, because zest loves nature! To bring out your zest, go into nature, explore the woods, parks and beaches to boost vitality and that positive energy inside you!

Reap the benefits of being out in nature

Personally, I didn’t need convincing to get out and about more. But it’s useful to review the WHY sometimes, so hopefully all these reasons have motivated you to build more nature and outdoors into your daily routine! You can use nature as a tool to boost your wellbeing.

Here are some simple ideas to integrate more nature into your day to day life:

Take your laptop out on the balcony or into your garden whenever you can. Do the admin work outside, even if it’s just half an hour a day. Meet your friends for a walk in the park or at the beach before you sit down for a lovely meal together.

Wellbeing has a tendency to accumulate through doing these little things that make you happy.

The great outdoors & coaching

All these reasons also made me get out of my comfort zone and take my coaching clients on walks in nature. It still amazes me, how different and exciting these conversations are when our eyes see wide open spaces, when we can smell the grass and the woods, when we can feel the wind in our hair and the soft ground under our feet.

Many clients get inspiration from the outdoor environment, which helps them to change perspectives, to see a problem from a different angle and to come up with solutions and new pathways that they did not think about before.

If you are thinking about taking up coaching, how about giving outdoor coaching a go?

References

Pritchard, A., Richardson, M., Sheffield, D., & McEwan, K. (2019). The Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Eudaimonic Well-Being: A Meta-analysis. Journal Of Happiness Studies, 21(3), 1145-1167. doi: 10.1007/s10902-019-00118-6

Ryan, R., Weinstein, N., Bernstein, J., Brown, K., Mistretta, L., & Gagné, M. (2010). Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature. Journal Of Environmental Psychology, 30(2), 159-168. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.10.009

Twohig-Bennett, C., & Jones, A. (2018). The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes. Environmental Research, 166, 628-637. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.030

Zest | Character Strength | VIA Institute. (2021). Retrieved 2 July 2021, from https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths/zest