Why spending time in nature improves wellbeing

There's a popular saying: "if you're in a bad mood go for a walk, if you're still in a bad mood, go for another walk" - but why?

What is it about walking and the outdoors that improves your mood?

We all know that physical activity triggers the brain into releasing those mood-enhancing chemicals like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, but where does nature come into it? Why does a walk in nature beat just a walk in your local town?

Going about your daily walk, passing houses, shops, travelling cars and following the pavement can get repetitive, it bores the mind. - It's like one of those mindless tasks where you've done it so often, that your brain switches to autopilot and you're still thinking of all the chores you have to do, that problem at work that still needs solving and any bills that need paying...

how about we switch things up a little and see what differences we can find?

Let's swap houses and shops to fields and forests. We've suddenly gone from rigid, man-made structures that look very similar, to vast expanses filled with life, depth and character.

We'll swap out travelling cars with farm animals and wildlife and you can already tell which ones are quieter and which of these two options has cleaner, healthier air.

Finally, we'll swap hard pavements for a myriad of different paths - in just one walk you can go from gravel, to grass, to hardened earth, to pine needles, to rocks, over stepping stones and to sand.

in just these three swaps from your daily walk, you're already making the brain come back into focus. Thinking about your chore list has been switched to observing the views of the forests, are there any deer I can see? What type of animal made this track that I've just stumbled across? I wonder what creatures live in this pond that I've found on top of this hill?

Your problem at work becomes 'how do I make it across this muddy puddle without falling in?', 'Where's the smell of garlic coming from?', or 'What animal just made that sound?'.

And the bills that need paying become 'That flower smells lovely', 'The river looks very full today' and 'That breeze is wonderful in this heat'.

My point is, the brain is now distracted.

And being distracted with natural things rather than social media, news or problems is much better for our mental health, wouldn't you agree?

Now for the facts;

• Tuning into the birds singing for just 30 minutes on your walk, acts as a natural reset. Studies shows it significantly lowers your cortisol levels, heart rate and blood pressure.

• Deep breathing while smelling flowers reduces anxierty and stress hormones.

• Looking out onto landscapes (such as on top of a hill overlooking a valley) triggers the release of alpha brainwaves which are associated with deep relaxation and calm, it allows the mind to drift pleasantly.

• People living in towns and cities inhale double the concentration of vehicle-related air pollutants compared to those living in remote, rural areas.

• Breathing in forest air for just 1 hour can boost the immune system - compounds released from trees and inhaled by people can increase your body's white blood cell count.

• The continuous flow of a river masks disruptive everyday background noises - Nature's own white noise machine - putting the brain at ease and allowing it to unwind.