OUR GIRL MOTHER NATURE

Summer is right around the corner. As the days get longer and the sun gets warmer, the age old question comes up - how can we make this the best one yet? For those of us up in Canada, we’ve just survived what’s felt like a long winter and I think we can all agree that there’s something special that the sunny season brings…

You know those moments, so simple but somehow so memorable. The feeling of the water while you dangle your toes in off the dock, while watching the last ray of sunshine disappear under the canopy of trees across the lake. The smell of the cool morning dew that blankets the grass as you unzip your tent, and poke your head out to see the pink sky fade into blue. Or the sound of birds chirping as you make your way through the forest- on foot, or by bike. You know, when your senses are content and you are able to feel relaxed, maybe you are even in ‘awe’. 

Well, I’m here to tell you a secret. Those moments, the ones that leave you in awe, they’re good for you. You see, for some crazy reason, when we experience a moment in nature that leaves us in ‘awe’, we suddenly feel like we have more time. More time creates less urgency. Less urgency makes our personal problems seem less pressing, and we feel less stressed out. How about that as an excuse to take an extra long weekend?

That’s not the only part about getting out there that positively impacts our psychological well-being. Just being outside – undistracted though, so easy on that cellphone- but just being out there makes us sleep better, and makes us more productive. This all makes sense considering humans have spent the majority of their existence living outdoors until modern life came along. 

These days we are more often surrounded by concrete walls and ever-increasing screen time. Although these are now essential to most jobs and ways of life, it’s important that we remember where we came from. Sitting in front of a campfire with friends, an activity that dates back to caveman time, has been shown to lower our blood pressure and make us live longer. Science is starting to prove what may seem obvious, we just need to make sure we don’t forget it. 

So, as we approach the summer solstice, giving us a whopping 15 hours 40 minutes of sunlight, we have to ask ourselves, what will we do for our health this summer? Whether you’re a weekend warrior or have the luxury to take some vacay time this summer, consider spending it with our girl Mother Nature.