I spent last Saturday at a forest preserve. A friend and I joined a group of people who we knew only slightly and hiked for 10 miles in unfamiliar territory.
We got lost a couple of times, backtracked once or twice, crossed streams using stepping stones and a narrow walking bridge, and didn’t see another soul for hours. It sounds like a situation made to induce anxiety, but I felt calm, relaxed and happy to be doing what I was doing the whole time.
I think I know the reason why.
In Japan, they espouse the benefits of Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing.” This practice of immersing yourself in nature in a mindful way is said to allow the stressed portions of your brain to relax. They believe it benefits our physical, mental, emotional and social health and can be used as a tool to overcome the health-damaging effects of a hectic life and stressful work environment.
I recently came across a more scientific explanation for the reason that we might feel happier and more peaceful when we are out in nature, and it involves an understanding of the Earth’s electromagnetic field.
Between the surface of the Earth and the ionosphere (the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere), there’s a space filled with electrical tension. This space “pulses” at a natural frequency of 7.83 megahertz.
Oddly enough, or perhaps by design, this is the same frequency of your brain’s alpha waves if you were measuring them on an encephalograph. Of the five main categories of brain waves, it’s the alpha waves in the brain that tend to induce relaxation and creativity.
One of the key researchers of this topic discovered that the Earth’s vibration could be easily measured in nature and in the ocean, but it was almost impossible to measure it in spaces that are filled with signals from radios, televisions, cars, buildings, phones, etc. These man-made noises override those natural signals.
When we are out in nature and away from civilization, we can more easily connect with this natural calming rhythm.
So make a habit of spending more time outdoors in general. And the next time you’re feeling tense, anxious or need to think about a solution to a problem you’re having, try heading out to the park, a forest or even just a quiet corner of your backyard to see if it helps your brain relax a bit.
- Sherry DeWalt is the healthy lifestyles coordinator for the CGH Health Foundation in Sterling.