Why Being (Alone) in Nature Is Good for You

Spending time by yourself is especially restorative when your solitude takes place in nature.

Environmental psychologist Stephen Kaplan noted that being in nature, away from the sounds and sights of modern life, creates a sensation that he called “soft fascination,” a state where we feel simultaneously transported, calm, and buoyant.

According to Kaplan, whose research established Attention Restoration Theory (ART), spending time in nature helps restore our cognition when it's been over-taxed by directed attention (i.e. studying for exams, working on a project with a looming deadline). In nature, our minds are allowed to drift, gaze, wander, and be immersed in the moment.

In a recent study, researchers identified four primary reasons people seek solitude in the wilderness, and the first is – perhaps not surprisingly – to disconnect from their devices.

Such de-tethering, or what some might call a digital detox, allows for the cognitive renewal that Kaplan described in his attention restoration theory.

What’s more, a recent study found that spending time in nature actually promotes positive body image, an effect that is directly opposite to what hours on Instagram can do.

De-tethering from technology paves the way for three other primary components of wilderness solitude. People seek the wilderness because it allows for physical separation from the sights and sounds of the workaday world. Such withdrawal gives us the necessary freedom and privacy to drop our public persona and social obligations, what the researchers call societal release.

But the wilderness is not only for self-focus; it’s also a place where we can be in awe of the natural world and feel connected to something larger than ourselves. In fact, research has shown that we’re least likely to feel lonely, and more likely to feel spiritually connected, when we’re alone in nature.

Source; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/solitude-in-social-world/202203/why-being-alone-in-nature-is-good-you

Reflection;

This article mentions how being in nature would be beneficial to our mental health. It helps restore our attention and alleviates stress.

When was the last time you stopped and enjoyed the scenery/nature? How did it make you feel?

#Nature #Tranquility #MentalHealth