Genesis 8:20-21 Noah built an altar to God. He selected clean animals and birds from every species and offered them as burnt offerings on the altar. God smelled the sweet fragrance and thought to himself, “I’ll never again curse the ground because of people. I know they have this bent toward evil from an early age, but I’ll never again kill off everything living as I’ve just done.
22 For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never stop.”
Noah and the family have just survived a catastrophic flood while caring for hundreds of animals and birds. Now everyone has come out of the ark, and Noah has made an offering on an altar. Now God is responding to Noah by promising never to kill off everything living again for as long as earth lasts. God is promising to preserve His creation.
What many of us fail to realize is that God has given us creation for comfort. In an earlier age and today in locations where people are not tied to screens and the internet, many people spent-and spend-much of their time outdoors. Now, large numbers of people are choosing to remain inside, but is that the wisest choice for mental health? No. When we divorce ourselves from nature, we are cutting off one of God’s biggest gifts for our comfort.
No less august a source than the Mayo Clinic newsletter touts the benefits of being outside.
“There are many studies that demonstrate how spending time in nature can improve mood, lower anxiety, and improve cognition and memory,” says Mayo Clinic nurse practitioner Jodie M. Smith, APRN., C.N.P., D.N.P., M.S.N. “Making time for nature is important in order for us to maintain resiliency and promote self-care in a world that demands a lot from us.”
How does nature benefit mental health?
First and foremost, Smith says that nature can be an effective tool to manage stress.
“Stress stimulates our sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for increasing our blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar in order to react to a stimulus that is causing us stress,” says Smith.
And while not all stress is bad — for example, stress can motivate you to meet a work deadline or keep an eye on your kids at the pool — prolonged or chronic exposure to stress can chip away at your emotional and mental well-being.
But nature may be able to combat stress and its effects. For example, one study showed that exposure to nature can regulate the sympathetic nervous system in as little as five minutes.
“This means that we can get an almost immediate benefit from stepping outside,” says Smith. And doing so on a recurrent basis may prevent cumulative effects from stress, which could mean a lower risk for chronic disease, illness and mortality.”
In addition to alleviating stress, Smith says research indicates that exposure to nature can be an effective coping strategy for those with chronic mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Prolonged immersion in nature and nature-based therapy programs have shown promise as a way of managing PTSD.
Even for those without serious mental health conditions, nature may help you manage emotions like loneliness, irritability and possibly even road rage.
Finally, there is evidence that nature exposure is associated with better cognitive function — like memory, attention, creativity and sleep quality.
But perhaps the best part is that nature makes it easy to soak in these benefits.
“Being present in nature doesn’t ask or require anything of us, so it frees up our mind to think more deeply and clearly about things,” says Smith.
Smith goes on to encourage those who are stuck inside all day to create small green spaces, to listen to recorded bird songs and to become involved in community gardens and other projects that help them get outside. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/the-mental-health-benefits-of-nature-spending-time-outdoors-to-refresh-your-mind/
Some cultures are so serious about time spent outdoors that infants may even be brought outside to sleep. When I saw the photo online, I could scarcely believe it. Caring mothers in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland bundle their babies warmly, placing them in padded baby carriages, and LEAVING THEM OUT IN THE COLD AND SNOW TO NAP!!! Moreover, this has been going on for centuries. Even today, as evidenced by the photo, people go to coffee shops, leaving their babies to sleep outside in the cold.
- It turns out that there are a number of major health benefits to gain from this practice: Improved Sleep Quality: Despite the cold temperatures, babies who nap outside actually sleep for longer and enjoy deeper sleep, according to studies. This can be helpful for their overall development, and since this is commonly a daily practice in the winter, it can help keep their sleep schedule regular, too!
- Boosted Immune System: Because of the baby’s exposure to the outside world and colder temperatures, they also have improved immunity. This is something that all Danish people believe fervently—that fresh air, specifically cold, fresh air—is wonderful for their children’s health. When they nap outside, they are also exposed to less indoor germs, which means that they stay healthier.
- Enhanced Physical Health: As you can imagine, the combination of improved sleep quality and boosted immunity leads to improved physical health. Additionally, because of the temperatures, babies enjoy improved blood circulation and get more sunlight exposure, all of which help their health and circadian rhythm stay regular.
- Better Mental Well-Being: When babies nap outside, they are also exposed to environments that can improve their mental well-being. The natural environment can calm them down while also reducing parental stress, as this is a communal activity that all parents take part in. It’s a highly beneficial practice for mom and baby!
Here in Ghana, snow and ice are unknown; however, mothers routinely “back” their babies, carrying them everywhere-to market, to farm, to church. It’s quite common to see mothers riding motorcycles with babies on their backs, and the children generally do quite well. Women carry babies in similar fashion throughout Africa, Latin America, and Asia. While being carried, these babies are also enjoying the comfort of being close to their mothers and in the outdoors as well.
When I was a child, one of our favorite Sunday School hymns was “This is My Father’s World” by Maltbie Davenport Babcock. Of all the hymns I know, this one describes the comfort God has given us through His creation. Here are the words:
1 This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas–
His hand the wonders wrought.
2 This is my Father’s world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
3 This is my Father’s world:
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we praise You and bless You for the comfort You give us through Your glorious creation. Help us to rejoice in that creation and to absorb the comfort You provide. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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