Outdoors & Mental Health

It is no secret that I 'suffer from' (no) 'live with' (umm not right) 'am diagnosed with' (still not happy)...

Me. I am who I am, and part of that is living with mental illness. I have come to accept this, to realise that it is part of what makes me who I am. It doesn’t define me, I won’t let it control me but neither do I wish to be seen to be ‘suffering’ with it. I have accepted it, it has accepted me and we have a glorious symbiotic relationship. My anxiety enables me to see the world in a truly unique way, it enables me to reflect, to have huge levels of empathy, to understand myself and others more and most importantly recognising that I have anxiety had led me to kindness. 

Everyone talks about mental illness being treated the same as a condition such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease etc. And I agree, the stigma attached to mental illness is a burden we all carry, because I believe that everyone has, at some point, had periods where their mental health has been unsettled. It is something that we all live with, in the same way as we all get a cold, or man-flu or a sprained ankle. However, it also isn’t quite the same. For our mental wellbeing is so much more connected to who we are, as individuals. It is this individuality that make the ‘treatment’ of mental health such a challenge. What is great for one person may be terrible for the next. But I do believe that there is one thing that everyone can do to maintain, nurture and improve their mental health and that is the outdoors.

I got a really cure book recently about 'friluftsliv’: the concept of open air living and by all means its the latest Scandi buzzword. Forget hygge - which saw us embrace faux fur throws and candlelight - this is the cosiness backlash. It can be translated, roughly as ‘free, air, life’ and this concept has really struck a chord with me. Because being outside is exactly those three things for me; free, air, life. In Scandinavian countries friluftsliv is a part of everyday life, however in the UK it has been documented that our children are the most housebound in a survey of 10 countries. Scary stuff, I am throwing my kids out in to the wilds every day now…

Being connected with nature and the outside, for me is fundamental to my wellbeing. Having worked in an office environment with very little natural light I remember feeling myself sinking deeper and deeper back in to myself. I started drinking again, after three years as t-total, I was eating large amounts of sugar every day and just sitting, looking at a computer screen day in day out. It wasn’t healthy for me.

“Being indoors creates a world that’s compartmentalised from the changing weather, landscapes and feelings. In contrast, being outside enriches our lives. Experiencing the unpredictability of the weather – a breeze over your face or an unexpected rainfall – adds variety to our lives. Smells evoke memories and thoughts and connecting with nature allows us to escape monotony,” Dr Rosenthal, Telegraph 2017 ​

Being outdoors though, for me is like magic, its almost like I can feel the air and the light filling me up. Just sitting in the garden and reading, wrapped up in blankets is all I need each day to reset myself. But ultimately walking, being up in the hills, the mountains or ideally on the coast near water is when I am at my happiest and this is not something I can ignore.

Getting outside and taking a walk can clear my head and apparently, according to some wise science boff, it can boost your immune system. While outdoor sports such as walking climbing, cycling and canoeing successfully combine exercise with outdoor stimulation, any form of outdoor living will elevate your mental health. Simply walking through a woodland or local greenspace can be uber beneficial.

So take a daily walk, try your hand at cycling or simply sit and read in a garden to see benefits. Getting outdoors to feel happier and healthier is both intuitive and backed by medical science, so make yourself a promise to spend just 15 minutes or more in a natural environment per day to reap the rewards.

More information:

If you think you may be dealing with some kind of mental health issue then you can get help with diagnosis online from a psychiatrist with Better Help.

Mind Ecotherapy Report HERE

Government Report 2016 HERE

The Wildlife Trust HERE