Smell the Roses: Wellness and the Outdoors
You may have heard of the idiom “Stop and smell the roses” many times. But have you ever considered reflecting upon this phrase? Coincidentally, reflecting on this statement is, in some way itself, a manner of doing just what the phrase attempts to convey. The idiom, derived from a much longer sentence in golfer Walter Hagen’s autobiography, instructs us to slow down in life and enjoy the little things while we progress forward.[1]
Perhaps one way of “stopping to smell the roses” is literally— well— going out and enjoying the outdoors (which may or may not involve sniffing flowers). Day to day we end up in a rush to do work, study, or both, as well as house chores and various errands. On the weekends, we may find ourselves glued to the television, computer, or our mobile device. Only between going out of our living space and riding a vehicle elsewhere, do we have a few seconds closest to nature. Maybe this was the image conjured in Hagen’s mind when he birthed the phrase.
If we follow Hagen’s advice, by giving ourselves time between to enjoy nature, we may get to enjoy something greater: the effects of the outdoors upon our well-being. The following are interesting ways that nature positively affects us:
1. Sunlight can help you get better, faster.
Whenever you go outside during the day, as long as there’s no clouds nor rain, there will always be the sun shining from up above. This light of lights is a huge player the daily lives of almost every life form; from regulating our sleeping patterns, to giving us Vitamin D. But there’s more to the sun than just the basic positives that we all know of. In a study published in the journal Environmental Health Insights, researchers compared hospital patients who stayed in bed near the window, to those who stayed in bed near the door. They found that those who had stayed near the window had a shorter stay in the hospital. Because of this, it was concluded that natural light that came through the window had a positive effect on the patient’s well-being, as opposed to the environment associated with staying beside the door.[2]
2. Greener spaces lead to more connected lives.
In today’s day and age, we usually think of social media being the best way we connect with others. While this may be a good medium, especially for friends of long distances, nature itself has its own way of going about it. Several studies have shown that being out in nature helps us connect to others. In one study, for example, researchers found that those living in urban areas with green spaces (ie. trees) were more likely to feel a stronger sense of community with their neighbors, as opposed to those without such spaces. This may be due to the brain associating nature with empathy, and urban spaces with fear (as this is what researchers found from brain scans).[3]
3. Hanging out in a forest can boost your immune system.
Back in the 1980s, an interesting practice arose in Japan. Known as “shinrin-yoku”, or “forest bathing”, the practice sought to use strolls in the wilderness as a way of reconnecting with nature and dealing with burnout. Later on, this would lead several researchers to study it and its effects on one’s health.[4] One of these studies, published in the Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents, looked into what effect that forest bathing had on people’s immune systems. After selecting participants, the researchers had them go on a three day and two night trip to the forest. After the trip, both blood and urine samples were taken. What was found was that, in the blood, natural killer cells were increased, while in the urine, stress hormones were decreased. Furthermore, phytocides were found in the forest air. From this, the researchers concluded that through forest bathing, one can breathe in the beneficial phytocides released from the trees, as well have their stress lowered through the activity (thus boosting their natural killer cells to increase immunity).[5]
Sources:
1. Grammarist. (n.d.). Stop and Smell the Roses. Grammarist. Retrieved from: https://grammarist.com/idiom/stop-and-smell-the-roses/
2. Park, M. Y., Chai, C. G., Lee, H. K., Moon, H., & Noh, J. S. (2018). The Effects of Natural Daylight on Length of Hospital Stay. Environmental health insights, 12, 1178630218812817.
3. Delagran, L. (n.d.). How Does Nature Impact Our Well Being? University of Minnesota. Retrieved from: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing
4. Fitzgerald, S. (2019, October 19). The Secret to Mindful Travel? A Walk in the Woods. National Geographic. Retrieved from: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/forest-bathing-nature-walk-health
5. Li, Q., Morimoto, K., Kobayashi, M., Inagaki, H., Katsumata, M., Hirata, Y., Hirata, K., Shimizu, T., Li, YJ., Wakayama, Y., Kawada, T., Ohira, T., Takayama, N., Kagawa, T., Miyazaki, Y. (2008). A forest bathing trip increases human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins in female subjects. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. Jan-Mar;22(1):45-55.
Article by: Jonathan A. Watson