5-Second Thoughts in Nature to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

It's Earth Week! Although every day should be Earth Day, this week we pay special attention to what we can do to give back to the planet that does so much for us. Quite literally, we wouldn't be able to survive on any other planet.

Aside from the physical reasons we rely on Earth, nature provides so many stress- and anxiety-relieving benefits. Studies done in Japan showed that forest bathing significantly improved mental health in participants, especially those with depressive tendencies. While spending an entire day in the forest would be amazingly beneficial, the reality is that most people do not have an entire day to spend outdoors.

The good news is that you can still cause your blood pressure to drop, your pulse rate to decrease, and your mood to improve if you spend a few moments outdoors. Some ways to sneak in a few moments of time outside include taking a 3-minute walk during your lunch break, parking slightly further away from the grocery store door, eating a meal outside when the weather is nice, or making a pact to walk after dinner with your family. To feel the stress- and anxiety-reliving effects faster, you can think some of these quick, 5-second thoughts while you are in outside:

I am gaining energy from the Earth.

The sun is melting my stress away.

The breeze is blowing love towards me.

The rain is washing away my worries.

The plants are giving me fresh oxygen.

The ground is stable and so is my life.

By picking one or two of these thoughts as your "go-to," you can picture exactly what the sentence is saying happening to you. For example, as you say, "the sun is melting my stress away," picture what is specifically causing your stress, and watch it drip off of you as the sun shines on your body. Even if it isn't sunny out, you can still picture it happening, as the sun is shining somewhere on this planet! Pick whatever resonates with you, or whichever one you feel you need the most. My suggestion is to start with one and after a bunch of times, add a second one that might also help.

The best thing is that these only take about 5 seconds, so if you are feeling particularly stressed or anxious at work, while you are with your kids, thinking about your never-ending to-do list, at your in-laws, etc., you can step outside for 5 seconds to think one of these thoughts and reset your mind. Obviously, if you have more time to spend outdoors, you can think more than one of these thoughts, or you can pick one and repeat it over and over again as your mantra.

No matter what you choose to think, being out in nature can have incredible calming effects. It has been proven that time in nature can reduce stress and anxiety, as well as mental health in general. If you really do not have even 5 seconds to spend outside, sitting at your desk or being indoors and closing your eyes to picture yourself being outside and thinking one of these thoughts will also help.

Since this weekend is Earth Day, spend some time outdoors in nature and think some of these thoughts!

Follow me on Instagram for more ways to reduce stress and anxiety by combining yoga and nature: Sara Spangler - Yoga and Nature Coach (@palmtreeyogawithsara) | Instagram

If you already follow me, be sure to comment on my post about this blog and let me know which one of these 5-second thoughts you love the most!