If you are like most people you probably spend most of your time inside your home sleeping, working or watching TV. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests that adults in the United States spend more than 90% of their lives inside some type of enclosed structure.
“Spending time outside makes us feel more alive”
By spending all this time inside it could be causing us to miss out on important benefits linked to communing with the natural environment.Spending time in nature outside makes us feel more alive, according to the last issue of the “Journal of Environmental Psychology”.
The University of Rochester, New York conducted a study on more than 500 individual college students, suggesting that people feel more energetic when they spend time outdoors as opposed to remaining cooped up in a house.The study suggests that being outdoors in nature was already enough to dramatically raise energy levels and produce a greater sense of well-being.
A dramatic boost in self-esteem and well being could be observed in people who engaged in just ten minutes of out-door activities.Being out-doors is good for people, but engaging in any type of physical activity appears to be even more of a health booster.
It is not necessary to travel to far away countries to be able to enjoy the powerful benefits of nature.Spending an hour in your own back yard, at the beach or at a public park can be as emotionally restoring as a major hike in the wilderness.
Research suggests that these effects even come in handy while you drive.If you are susceptible to road rage it is helpful to glance at the natural scenery rather than glaring at others.Taking a moment to enjoy the beauty of the blue sky or a forest while driving can lower heart rate leading to a greater sense of calmness in the body’s answer to stress. Scientists found that surgical patients staying in a hospital room with windows overlooking nature views recovered much faster than those patients placed in rooms with windows facing concrete walls.
Office workers who are able to enjoy a view of nature from their work station report improved concentration.Even today, most managers still believe that working in an office without a view will deter employees from daydreaming and therefore are more productive.Various studies have proven that employees who are able to look outside while working seem to experience less work-related stress while enjoying greater satisfaction on the job.
People who do not have access to nice views at their jobs can always improvise with photographs and paintings of nature.Many “Feng Shui Consultants” promote pictures as a Feng Shui Cure. As this is not a Feng Shui Remedy because pictures and paintings do not belong to the Five Elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal). The same is true for adding indoor plants. As small pots of plants, as well as Lucky Feng Shui Bamboo can not be counted as a Feng Shui Cure, Norwegian researchers suggest that by adding plants and color inside a house, apartment, home office or commercial work place the inhabitants will feel less fatigue, experience fewer headaches and minimize “Feng Shui Depression“.
Next time you feel overwhelmed or pressured consider taking time to enjoy nature. One of the quickest steps to take is to consider a Online Feng Shui Consultation for your home or business.