The weather might not always be for it, but taking the time to get some fresh air could be a great stress-buster for you, research suggests.
Spending 20 to 30 minutes in nature, surrounded by trees and flowers, could decrease the stress hormone cortisol by around 10 per cent or 21.3 per cent an hour.
Leader of the research Dr Mary Carol Hunter, of the University of Michigan said: ‘Our study shows that for the greatest payoff, in terms of efficiently lowering levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, you should spend 20 to 30 minutes sitting or walking in a place that provides you with a sense of nature.
‘You don’t have to travel to the wildlands. Getting out of an office block and sitting next to a tree can be enough’.
The research, published in Frontiers in Psychology, suggests healthcare practitioners could prescribe a ‘nature pill’ as part of care.
You might already know what stress feels like. It can build up for a number of reasons that are different for all of us.
When you’re experiencing something that stresses you, your body reacts by increasing certain physical responses and hormonal responses, which the Health Service Executive describe as: speeding up heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism.
This natural reaction is known as the stress response. This response improves your ability to perform well under pressure.
The HSE already recommends going for a run as a way to bust stress – or to try this breathing exercise.
- Put your hands on your stomach
- Breathe in and then out, counting how long it takes each way.
- On the next breath, breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds. Do this for 10 breaths, making a conscious decision to try and relax as much as possible.
- For 10 more breaths, breathe in for 7 seconds and out for 7 seconds.
- Your pulse rate should be lower. The exercise will bring your breathing and your heart rate to its ideal level.
- When you notice you’re stressed, try breathing in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds for just 3 breaths.