What is the pull of nature?
Why are we so drawn to walking in the woods, to seeing green leaves swaying overhead, to feeling the soft ground yielding underneath our feet, to hearing the birds call and respond, to smelling the damp earth and the sweet wildflowers? If you're like many people, you often yearn to be out in nature, especially if you spend most of your time inside.
The Science Behind a Walk in the Woods
It turns out there are some amazing scientific reasons why a walk in the forest feels so good. Trees contain essential oils that get released into the forest air. When we walk under and among trees, we breathe in these near-magical oils, and that does a world of good for our health. Right away, our energy levels increase by more than 30 percent. We sleep better and longer too; a two-hour walk among trees increases the amount of sleep by an average of 15 percent.
It's not just a coincidence that being in the forest puts you into such a good mood -- feeling less stressed, less anxious, less depressed, and less angry; studies show that being near trees significantly reduces the amount of stress hormones in our bodies. As if that's not enough, inhaling these tree oils is good for the heart, the circulation, and the immune system.