Talking About Mental Health November 2019 – Nature and Mental Health

Posted October 22, 2019

Fall is here and so is that pre-winter chill!  Getting outside makes such a difference to how we all are doing inside. Spending time in nature improves our mental health and well-being.  Being outdoors is a simple way to add some much needed down time from screens. Adding some time in nature is having some much deserved peace and quiet in our busy lives. One study showed that even 5 minutes in nature improves our mood. 5 minutes! We all can take 5 minutes (or more if have it) to go outside and enjoy nature.

 

If you want your family:

  • To be less stressed
  • To be happier
  • To be more resilient
  • To feel better about themselves
  • To have increased attention
  • To have a better ability to learn

 

Then GO OUTSIDE! Take your kids outside! Enjoy and be part of nature.

 

Try this:

Go for a walk

Head for the woods – make a scavenger hunt

Go birdwatching – make it a game to find the names of all birds you see

Go on a bug hunt

Watch the clouds float by

Make a game of identifying all the sounds you hear outside

 

If you are not sure where to go, check out the links below for lots of great parks in our area.

http://guelph.ca/living/recreation/parks/

http://www.wellington.ca/en/discover/trailsandforests.asp?hdnContent=

https://www.grandriver.ca/en/grand-river-parks.aspx

http://headwaters.ca/experience/parks-conservation-areas/

https://www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum/

 

 

Jenny Marino, Mental Health and Addictions Lead for the Upper Grand District School Board

Follow me on Instagram #upper_grand_mental_health

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