Being in nature can boost our wellbeing. Here, we share top tips from First Psychology.
Growing plants at home
Taking care of plants can help you feel peaceful and give you a sense of pride. You do not need to have a garden to feel the benefits of growing plants. There are lots of plants that you can grow in your own home to create your own little garden.
Choose a room in your house that gets a lot of sunlight coming in.
• Gather some pots, soil and seeds and you are ready to start.
• You could also go to your nearest plant shop and ask for advice on what to grow or buy a plant or two from there to start you off.
• The best plants to grow inside are leafy green plants or herbs. Or you could grow a cactus as they are easy to look after.
• You could even try growing basil, rosemary, sage, pea shoots, cress or even small chilli peppers.
Spend time with animals
Being around animals can help reduce stress. Even if you do not own a pet, you can still spend time with animals. For example, if a friend owns a pet, you could look after it for the day, or you could join them for a walk in the park. You could also visit an animal shelter or a nature reserve if you live near one.
Listen to the sounds of nature
We often do not notice all the natural sounds going on around us. Taking time to sit in nature and focus on these sounds can be a good way to relax. Try to find a quiet spot to sit. This could be a garden, a park or another place close to nature. Sit in silence and focus on each different sound you can hear, one at a time.
For example, the birds singing or wind in the trees. You could even write the sounds down. If you are not able to get out into nature, you could try listening to a recording of nature sounds instead, like birdsong or rain. You can find recordings of nature sounds online.
Take nature screen breaks
In our modern lives, we often spend a lot of time in front of screens, like our phones. If you use your phone a lot, you could try to create a new habit. For example, putting your screen down regularly to look out the window and up at the sky for few minutes, or by making sure you put your phone away when you are outside.
Taking breaks from our screens to enjoy nature and the outdoors is an easy way to find a more balanced lifestyle. We also get the positive impact that nature can have on our overall wellbeing.
Take part in activities that help look after nature
There are lots of things you can do to help protect and restore natural places. Taking part in these activities can help us feel connected to our natural world and feel a sense of purpose.
Find out what activities are going on in your local community. There are often group activities that anyone can get involved in. They are often run by volunteers and very happy for new people to come along and join in.
This article is adapted from a booklet called Eco Therapy and Wellbeing written by First Psychology. First Psychology are one of our Delivery Partners. They offer different kinds of therapy, like counselling, psychotherapy and coaching. They are based in Edinburgh but they have offices in lots of places.
You can find out more about them at www.firstpsychology.co.uk
You can see the full booklet at: www.firstpsychology.co.uk/booklets
