Boost your health by rewilding your life

Their study found participants who spent more time in nature and feeling connected to it were more likely to eat a healthier, more diverse diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

LOOKING UP

Using the sky is an easy way to connect to nature. Research by positive psychology coach Paul Conway (successfulhumans.org) indicates there’s a neuropsychological connection between looking up and feeling better.

Findings from his study suggest that sky-gazing imbues an almost immediate sense of calm and brings a renewed sense of clarity and perspective. The same goes for stargazing at night. Studies show gasping at the galaxies above fills us with a sense of awe that can help us see our own problems as less important, so easing anxiety.

LOSE THE SHOES

Kick off your shoes and socks and feel nature underfoot for another lift. A review of research published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health says that reconnecting with nature by walking barefoot outside, known as earthing or grounding, may help reduce stress, inflammation and pain, improve sleep and thin the blood too. What’s more, going barefoot can strengthen your feet, improve your balance, enhance flexibility and help your posture. Try it in the garden, local park or the beach.

DESIGNED BY NATURE

Biophilic design uses aspects of nature and the natural world to enhance your home. So steer clear of furniture made from artificial materials and go for wood instead.

Remarkably, one Japanese study revealed that touching wood can slow our heart rate and reduce sympathetic-nervous activity, both signs of relaxation.

Other research shows just looking at photos of green spaces such as woodland, grass, parks and fields helps switch off the body’s stress response, so hang pictures of nature on the walls.

TWEET TWEET

Seeing birds and hearing birdsong in everyday life can have mental health benefits, 2022 research by King’s College London found. A good reason to get up for the dawn chorus.

In a study, participants’ mental wellbeing scores increased when they saw or heard birds, including those people who’d been diagnosed with depression.

TREE-MENDOUSLY HEALTHY

Japanese research into forest bathing has found that walking in the woods elevates levels of natural killer (NK) cells in the immune system, which help fight off infected and tumourforming cells. It’s thought it might have something to do with inhaling the essential oil molecules – phytoncides – given off by wood.

If you can’t fit in a forest walk, try diffusing an essential wood oil like cypress, cedar or Douglas fir at home.

One study found that people who stayed in a hotel room in which cypress essential oil was emitted had a 20 per cent increase in NK cells.

INTO THE SUNSET

When cells in our eyes see sunlight in the early morning and late afternoon (within an hour or so of sunrise and sunset) it helps set a healthy circadian rhythm – the body’s internal clock that signals when to be alert and when to feel sleepy.

So you should get a better night’s shut-eye if you get outdoors at the right time.