4 Ways Nature Helps us Destress
Whether it’s ongoing or sporadic, low-level or intense, stress can impact our health, happiness, and even our longevity. But you know what’s scientifically proven to help fight the effects of stress and enable us to better manage it in the future?
Getting outside.
April is Stress Awareness Month. While Birch Star Farm can’t help with the stressors you already encounter, we may be able to lend a hand in helping you deal with the impact. Psychologically and physically, getting your muck boots dirty is a great way to temporarily relieve the toll that stress takes on your body.
Upstate New York in April isn’t exactly renowned for its incredible weather, but we’re in the midst of a Fool’s Spring here in 2023 and aim to get out there and make the most of what Mother Nature is throwing at us while we have it!
Here are just a few ways that science says the outdoors can help us relieve stress in our lives.
There’s a reason they say taking a walk when you’re upset can help you calm down. Studies show that just being in nature and surrounded by fresh air, the vibrant colors of spring, and natural scenery can have a calming effect on the mind and body. Spending time in nature can reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), lower blood pressure, and improve mood (see also: forest bathing). We’re working on a path that wraps through and around our property - following the orchard, around the pond, through the trees and past the corn fields. Once it’s done, we’ll welcome anyone to stroll!
Exposure to sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, which is important for overall health and can help regulate mood. This is something I’ve personally experienced and found to be true - and probably why so many of us from Upstate New York head south of the Mason Dixon for a few days each winter. Sunlight can trigger the release of endorphins, those natural feel-good chemicals in your body. This can be as simple as walking out your front door and soaking in the sun for a few minutes between meetings - something we like to do here, a lot.
We’ve got too many farm chores to count, but they have some nice side effects. Farm life can involve prolonged and intense physical activity, whether it’s raking, gardening, weeding, planting trees, chasing rodents from tunneling through our barn, and lots more. Exercise has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood by releasing endorphins and reducing levels of cortisol. Swing by to help us get some of these 75 new apple trees into the ground, and watch your stress melt away!
Sometimes simply getting away from our normal environment and our day to day routine can lift your mood. But you don’t have to go far: just being outside for a few hours offers a change of scenery and a chance to disconnect from daily stressors, which can help us relax and recharge - book a stay with us through HipCamp and experience the difference just one or two days away can make. We have a few pond-side tent and camper sites, and we’re building a few in the woods too, for those of you who prefer to be amongst the trees.
Whatever you do, take advantage of any weather that doesn’t require 7 layers of winter bundling and observe whether it has a positive impact on your stress levels. Have fun out there.