Tatiana
We are living in unprecedented times. Modern society has never seen anything like it. Who would have thought that we would live to witness a global pandemic?
Now that we are all stuck at home, many of us feel like we’ve been taking our freedom for granted.
Don’t you miss the times where you would just wake up on a sunny Sunday morning and spontaneously decide to go on a hike?
Lately, it seems like we are not even aware of what day it is anymore and the wildest thing we get to do outdoors is going grocery shopping.
“People say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Truth is, you knew what you had, you just never thought you’d lose it.”
This pandemic has taken a toll on all of us in a way or another.
To all nature lovers out there, how are you dealing with this? How bad is the urge of going outdoors, to be free in nature again?
Covid-19 has forced societies to experiment entirely new ways of living. School lessons have moved online, many have started working from home with meetings taking place over Zoom… We’re living through the first global pandemic in the digital age and the internet has made it possible to withdraw from the outside world. However, we should not forget the importance of unplugging and taking a breather to recharge our own batteries.
Being outdoors, especially in green spaces has many perks; besides the deep mouthfuls breath of crisp, fresh air, you get to experience picture perfect sceneries and wildlife sightings. Moreover, nature has also proven to promote physical and mental health. Being hunched over our phones for hours takes its toll on the body. The brain, eyes, neck, hands, arms and back can all experience strains.
Don’t forget to give your body a break. This confinement period is deeply affecting our sleeping patterns. Electronics is not your friend when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Whether it is related to the over exposure to blue light from our screens ( which impacts the brain’s production of melatonin, hence delaying the onset of sleep) or because of the ‘quick checks’ that end up in hours of watching unnecessary videos on Facebook.
There is a practice in Japan called ‘’Forest bathing’’ which is known to reduce stress levels simply by taking a walk in the forest. It has been proven that being in nature lowers our cortisol levels ( stress hormones) which in turn results in lowered blood pressure and anxiety.
A rebonding process with a green surrounding is crucial for mood elevation and betterment. While COVID-19 has brought tragedy on a unique scale, it has also brought time for reflection.
We live in a society where our phones are constantly burrowing into our lives and this pandemic has created the perfect scenario for it to stay the same. In this time where we feel trapped more than ever…despite having all of our technological luxuries, maybe we should focus on the simple pleasures that made us feel alive before.
We can’t control what’s going on with the world, but we can control what’s going on in our mind.
