#Relaxing scenery nature code#

Levels of oxygen in your brain are tied to levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that affects your mood, appetite, memory, social behavior, and other processes. By stopping to smell the roses, you can put the brake on your body's natural stress response and chill out a bit. Slow, deep breathing-the kind encouraged by the great outdoors-stimulates the body's parasympathetic reaction, which calms us down. Rapid breathing engages your body's sympathetic nervous system (or, your 'fight or flight' response), which is activated by stress and works to energize the body. Research shows that breathing techniques have the ability to dampen the production of stress hormones as well as train your body's reaction to stressful situations.

Breathing is Your Body's Built-In Stress Buster This raises your heart rate and blood pressure. In polluted or indoor environments, the body has to work harder to get the oxygen it needs to function. The gardeners not only reported being in a better mood than the readers, but also had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In the study, one group of people was asked to read indoors after completing a stressful task while the other group was instructed to garden for 30 minutes. It Lowers Stress Hormone LevelsĪ recent Dutch study suggests that spending time in nature and performing repetitive tasks such as gardening can fight stress better than other leisure activities.

#Relaxing scenery nature code#

DMN is a complex circuit of coordinated communication between parts of the brain and is essential to mental processes that develop our understanding of human behavior, instill an internal code of ethics, and help us realize our identities. When people are in a daydreaming state-something more easily achieved in nature’s serene environment-their brains settle into what scientists call the default mode network (or DMN). When the body is at rest, however, the brain doesn’t cease activity-at least not in the way you expect. The human brain demands 20 percent of all the energy the body produces, and this requirement increases by 5 to 10 percent when you’re focused on a mental challenge. It Gives Your Brain the Downtime It Needs to Recharge By centering your mind, you can relax your body. A study by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that a natural environment allowed people to leave the stressors of their everyday lives behind and instead focus their minds on something more pure. Leaving your devices behind and heading out into nature can also be calming for more metaphysical reasons. A Natural Environment Helps You Center Your Mind So taking an off-the-grid vacation can help you fully unwind. A University of California, Irvine study found that people who had access to email and therefore received a steady stream of messages throughout the day had higher heart rates than those who were cut off from electronic communication. Multi-tasking, particularly with electronic devices, is a leading cause of stress. The right amount of melatonin ensures you have a good night’s sleep-and wake feeling rejuvenated. The melatonin-producing part of your brain (the pineal gland) is directly affected by access to light-it remains inactive during the day and is switched on when darkness sets in. Melatonin is a hormone that controls your body’s internal clock (basically, it makes you sleepy). Getting a doctor-recommended dose of sunlight can also help you feel refreshed and relaxed by helping regulate your body’s melatonin production.

Natural Light Normalizes Your Sleep Schedule Vitamin D also improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure by literally relaxing your blood vessels. It can also elevate mood and reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and more. Going outside to “get some vitamin D” has become something of a refrain-parents use it to admonish their kids for playing too many video games and sunshine-deprived office workers use it as an excuse to take their fifth coffee break-but what does vitamin D actually do for you? By helping maximize calcium absorption, vitamin D promotes bone and dental health. Vitamin D Helps Your Body Function More Efficiently Spending time in the great outdoors has been scientifically proven to reduce stress levels, help you find clarity, and rejuvenate your mind and body. That feeling of bliss that washes over you when you “get away from it all” isn’t just in your head.