Caring for our mental health is more important now than ever. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Region of Peel and the Canadian Mental Health Association to share tips on how you can beat the #WinterBlues. This partnership is part of a larger conversation… In 2010, Bell Media started the #BellLetsTalk campaign to raise awareness about mental health. To date, more than a billion people have interacted on social media. To continue the conversation on mental health, we’d like to share 6 ways nature can improve our well-being:
- There is a reason we crave fresh air when we are experiencing something difficult. Outdoor air has higher levels of oxygen, which improves alertness and balances levels of serotonin (a hormone associated with feelings of well-being).
- Trees can improve our health. Walking among trees lowers blood pressure, heart rate, stress levels and cortisol levels (a hormone associated with stress).
- Stuck on an idea? Taking a 20-minute walk outside has been shown to increase creativity.
- Nature is a positive distraction. Having something natural to focus on like trees, flowers and bushes helps distract you from negative thoughts.
- Sunshine makes us happy. Being outside in natural light can help if you experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that affects people during particular seasons or times of year.
- Trails can be better than treadmills. One studied showed that those who run outdoors compared to indoors on a treadmill felt a greater sense of accomplishment.
Being kind to yourself can be as simple as taking a step out your front door. If you need more than fresh air, remember that there are resources available to you.
Recharging in one of our parks? Share your photos with us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
By Kimberley Laird, Associate, Marketing and Communications