Hugging Trees is Good for your Mental Health

Statistics show us that one in four people in the UK will suffer with mental health issues. This can be due to work pressures, family commitments, financial circumstances and much more. The reality is, life is full on and sometimes, it can be overwhelming.

If you’re looking to reduce the stress of everyday life, escape to the forest and talk to the trees.

Modern society creates a lot of stress in our lives, which is why more and more people are turning to nature for therapy, like tree hugging. Though many still associate tree-hugging with a hippy lifestyle, hugging a tree can be good for your health.

Hugging a tree increases levels of hormone oxytocin. This hormone is responsible for feeling calm and emotional bonding. When hugging a tree, the hormones serotonin and dopamine make you feel happier. It is important to use the forest we were given by nature to holistically heal ourselves and improve our mental health.

For example:

  • By taking a stroll through the forest, it can make you stronger and healthier. The reason for this is that essential wood oils in the air that are emitted by the trees, called phytoncides, increase the number of killer cells in the body. These cells can help fight sickness and disease.
  • Trees are the best counsellors because they’re good at listening, quiet, trustworthy and entirely at your service for free. Talking to a tree helps you feel not judged, creates mental clarity and emotional cleansing, causing you to feel lighter and happier.
  • Today, society can often deem people as crazy if they talk to themselves. However, there are many benefits to this. The forest can be a place where you can completely feel in touch with yourself and speak as freely as you want. Self-talk decreases stress levels as well as increases self-confidence and allows us to freely express our most inner feelings & thoughts.

 

So, next time you want to take a stroll in the forest, don’t forget to shout, cry, laugh, and allow your feelings to show themselves. Releasing feelings can help towards your mental health recovery and allow you to feel better about everyday life.

It is about visiting a woodland or forest and literally soaking up the sights, sounds and smells of the place. It is not only a temporary vacation from everyday chores and a chance to relax in a different nature setting. A woodland or forest can be a real connection to physiological and psychological health, as well as offering you sensory experiences.

So, what are you waiting for, go and hug a tree…you’ll feel a million times better!

 

If you would like to find a woodland or forest to visit in the UK, where ever you may be, you can visit the Forestry England website here.

If you would like to read my other blog posts on a range of different topics, visit my website here.

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