By Ranger Jasmine

There is no doubt about the fact that being outdoors is good for our overall health, but are you aware of just how good it is for you?

There have now been countless studies on the relation between being outdoors in nature and our mental health. Just being outdoors for 10 minutes a day can lower stress, anxiety and depression. Even just having a couple trees in an urban area can have a profound effect. So many of us turned to nature during the unprecedented times of Covid-19, and many of us have kept up that habit.

Nature can generate a multitude of positive emotions such as calmness, joy, creativity and even help with concentration. For me, when my mind is racing, nothing can help calm me better than a walk through nature, watching the birds. It can be a retreat from the mundane, and can help bring you back to the present moment. And so now it’s not just the argument that nature needs us, we need nature. 

Birdwatching in particular is a great calming activity that we can all get involved in. Some say it can be similar to meditation, sitting still and just watching everything that unfolds before them. You don’t need to be a top bird spotter in order to enjoy them, simply sitting in your garden or your local park and watching Sparrows flit about in the bushes can be great entertainment. Noticing how they interact with one another, how they scoop up water in their beaks and raise their heads to the sky to drink. How they take dirt baths the same as they do water baths, flapping their wings and spraying it up in the air. 

And in the winter when the days are short and miserable, take advantage of your local beaches. Minnis Bay for example, just take a moment to watch the shoreline, because just when you thought you could only see ‘seagulls’ wandering around, you’ll begin to notice much smaller birds, possibly even our tiny little Sanderlings running around searching for food, or running away from the incoming waves. Or you may even be lucky enough to spot a Little Egret stalking its way through the shallows in search of fish. 

When you stop and take a moment to really focus on the environment you’re in, you really begin to notice how much beauty there is surrounding you. And hopefully, you’ll soon be able to feel the physical benefits too.