SABE Wellness – Mother Earth Awaits You
Health Comes from The Land
We all have feelings of pressure and stress in our day-to-day lives, not to mention the added worry and grief associated with Covid-19.
Don’t be discouraged: you are not alone – and there is help!
Help can be found in nature – it’s free, accessible and convenient!
Digital Society Pushes Nature Away
Our society is increasingly a digital one. Whether for work or leisure, many people spend the majority of their days in front of screens. Evidence suggests that by distancing ourselves from nature we are losing touch with the one thing that we so desperately need.1 Being out in nature – or even just seeing pictures of nature – has been shown to increase feelings of happiness, playfulness, and friendliness! 2
Happiness Through Nature
Serotonin is the chemical in the brain that we associate with feelings of calmness and happiness. When people are depressed, they are often prescribed drugs to slow the depletion of serotonin in their brain. Studies have shown that just seeing nature can naturally increase serotonin production 3 and that walking in nature can reduce feelings of anxiety, improve your mood and even improve your memory! 4
Faster Recovery and Less Pain
If you have recently suffered an injury or have undergone surgery, nature and plants can help your recovery! Science has shown that even just the presence of cut flowers in a hospital room speeds recovery times5 and reduces the amount of pain medication required by patients.6 Sunlight delivers even more benefits – it has been proven to reduce pain, relieve stress, and decrease the need for pain medications.7
But What About Me?
You may not be hospitalized or recovering from surgery, but you can still reap the benefits of the life and energy of the land. Your feelings of stress, fatigue, and anxiety can all be alleviated by time in the great outdoors. Make a daily appointment with the land. Begin growing plants indoors. Find that sunny spot in your home and curl up with a cup of tea.
Nature is waiting for you.
If you have concerns about your health find out how you can visit a virtual doctor: www.SabeWellness.ca
1 Hartig T, Mitchell R, de Vries S, Frumkin H Annu Rev Public Health. 2014; 35():207-28
2 Ulrich R. S. (1979). Visual landscapes and psychological well-being. Landsc. Res. 4 17–23. 10.1080/01426397908705892
3 “Psychophysiological indicators of leisure benefits,” in Benefits of Leisure, eds Driver B. L., Brown P. J., Peterson G. L. (State College, PA: Venture; ).
4 The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Brown KW, Ryan RM J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Apr; 84(4):822-48.
5 indoor plants in hospital rooms enhanced health outcomes of patients recovering from surgery. Park SH, Mattson RH J Altern Complement Med. 2009 Sep; 15(9):975-80.
6 Park S.-H., Mattson R. H. (2009b). Therapeutic influences of plants in hospital rooms on surgical recovery. HortTechnology 44 102–105.
7 The effect of sunlight on postoperative analgesic medication use: a prospective study of patients undergoing spinal surgery. Walch JM, Rabin BS, Day R, Williams JN, Choi K, Kang JD Psychosom Med. 2005 Jan-Feb; 67(1):156-63.
