Staying Connected to Nature in the Fast-Paced City

By 2030 over 60% of the world’s population will live in cities, in the UK over 90% of the population will live in urban areas. The well-known city lifestyle is always described as ‘fast paced’ and indoor orientated creating a barrier between us and the natural world. 

Urban environments can be detrimental to our health, with greyspaces triggering areas of the brain associated with fear and anger, whereas greenscapes trigger those associated with love and empathy.  City lifestyle is commonly linked with stress, anxiety, and isolation, however these can be reduced by immersing ourselves in nature. 

We believe nature is a wonderful support system, hence we recommend spending 15 minutes per day out in nature to relax, reinvigorate and refocus in the fast paced city. This can be while walking, sitting or any activity in your local park, forest, botanical garden or garden centre. 

According to Vivid Economics, London parks already bring £370 million in mental health savings, as people who interact with green spaces most frequently have improved life expectancy and improved physical and emotional wellbeing. 

In the hustle and bustle of the city to help reconnect to nature it is essential to unplug and be still. Essentially, practice mindfulness to help ground yourself on a daily basis. A relationship with the natural world brings balance and a sense of belonging regardless of our social worlds. This strategy is one of the easiest ways to attend to self care.  

5 easy ways to reconnect with nature: 

• Look for signs – plants growing between cracks, plants planted by humans, trees, insects, even a spiders web. 
• Observe the sky and the weather – remember to look out for the moon and stars, notice the quality of sunlight, because even if it is not ‘sunny’, sunlight is always present. 
• Notice your breathing – no matter where you are, your own body is your most reliable part of nature. 
• Get grounded –  feel the earth beneath your feet
• Expand your sense – our senses are the very point of nature connection, listen, smell, touch, see. 

Seeking out and creating spaces with more nature in the city is essential in this day and age, the city lifestyle can be an amazing one, but always remember reconnecting with nature always helps. 

Photo credits: eOffice