Can nature impact our mental health?
The birds are singing, the sun is rising, and you’re rushing out the door to drive to work. While you might be checking to make sure you have your phone, you rarely think about how you’ve missed watching the sun rise.
Why should we take some time out of our day to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation in our lives?
Being in Nature Reduces Stress
Stopping and smelling the flowers isn’t just a reminder to slow down and enjoy life. There are real physical and mental health benefits to being in nature. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, spending time in natural spaces or parks helps relieve stress. Spending time at the park can also reduce your likelihood of developing obesity or coronary disease, which are often linked to stress as well.
God’s Creation Provides Us an Opportunity to Care for Our Environment
In Genesis 2:15 (NLV) it says, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work the ground and care for it.” We were made to take care of God’s beautiful earth! Whether it’s through gardening or volunteer work, creation provides us a way to nurture and love the world he gifted to us.
Creation Shows How Much God Loves Us
God loves us. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have given us all the tools we need to thrive on this earth. When we look at God’s creation, both in nature and in ourselves, we truly realize the depth of God’s love and all the wonderful things he created in nature for our benefit.
Ultimately, appreciating the beauty in God’s creation allows us to nurture our environment and live healthier lives, mentally, physically and spiritually.
Listen to this week's podcast entitled:
Appreciation of Beauty: Slowing Down to Appreciate God's Creation
Hosted by Nicole Alfonso, LMHC, with Allegra Saunders-Sawicky, Registered Clinical Social Worker Intern
