7 minute read
MINDFUL ADVENTURES:
HOW HIKING BENEFITS MY MENTAL HEALTH
by Zoë Amber Preston
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Gazing out towards the bush from my Airbnb, I felt peaceful and content. I had just spent my day hiking in the stunning Goldfields region of Australia, a ritual that had become an integral part of my mental health journey. From the balcony, I watched the sun pour through the eucalyptus trees and began to reflect. A few years ago, moments like these were few and far between. A diagnosis of depression and anxiety as a teenager, mental distress was a regular occurrence for me growing up.
When I was 17, my Dad invited me to go camping in the Australian Alps. Growing up in the Dandenong Ranges, being amongst nature was mundane for me. It was always just there, but I never mindfully acknowledged its presence. With reluctance, I agreed, already looking forward to returning to Melbourne. Within a couple of days of that trip, I was hooked. I remember hiking up to the top of Mount Buffalo National Park, overlooking the mountain ranges and feeling a sense of empowerment I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Upon returning to Melbourne, I became obsessed with hiking. I gradually spent more and more weekends exploring my hometown and coincidentally began to feel less depressed, less overwhelmed, and more fulfilled in life. What was going on? Upon reflection, I realized that my increased time spent hiking in nature had a drastically positive impact on my mental health.
I went on to study for a Bachelor of Psychology to further my understanding of my lived experience and learned more about the mental health benefits of nature. I stumbled across the concept of ecopsychology, which quickly became an integral part of my life. Ecopsychology aims to explore the connection between humans and the natural world and assesses the psychological effect of being connected or alienated from nature. This field resonated so deeply with me, and before long, I discovered more of the healing benefits of nature.
The mental health benefits of nature have been scientifically proven and have long-lasting effects on the brain. The biggest benefit I experienced from nature is reduced stress. Time in nature activates our parasympathetic nervous system, which is our body’s rest and relaxation response. Cortisol and adrenaline levels decrease when our parasympathetic nervous system is activated, therefore helping you feel more calm and relaxed. A 2019 study from Frontiers in Psychology found that being in nature for just 20 minutes can help lower stress hormones like cortisol (Hunter et al., 2019).
Time in nature can also lower the chances of developing a mental health condition later in life. A 2019 study from PNAS found that children who lived in greener areas had a decreased chance of developing psychiatric disorders in later life (Engemann et al., 2019). Another study found that people who lived in the city were 20% more likely to develop an anxiety disorder and 40% more likely to develop a mood disorder than people who lived closer to green spaces.
Connecting with nature can also lead to increased happiness, positive social interactions, and subjective well-being. A study from Science Advances found that time in nature is associated with a sense of meaning and purpose in life (Bratman et al., 2019). After spending more of my free time hiking, I felt a deeper sense of meaning in my life. I knew exploring natural spaces was what I was born to do, and nothing fueled my soul more than a good day trip to a local hiking spot for some quality time in the wilderness.
Practicing mindfulness in nature can also help alleviate mental distress. “Shinrinyoku,” or “forest bathing,” is a Japanese health practice where all your senses become immersed in nature. It is a slow, meditative process that focuses on mindfully reconnecting with the natural world. Studies have found that shinrinyoku may reduce anxiety, depression, and anger.
Time in nature helped regulate my circadian rhythm, otherwise known as the internal body clock. As I used energy during the day when hiking, I found that I would become naturally tired at night. Also, natural lighting helps keep melatonin levels down during the day, which is the hormone that enables you to fall asleep.
Hiking is also a great way to challenge me. As time went on and my passion only became stronger, I felt motivated to push myself out
of my comfort zone. I tried higher grade hikes, with more obstacles, different terrains, and steeper slopes. Most importantly, I challenged myself to chat with other hikers. I felt proud of myself; a few years ago, I felt nervous to talk to strangers and felt self doubt surrounding my worth in conversations. Hiking on more popular trails was a great way to build up my confidence in talking to people, increasing my self esteem.
Did you know that time in nature can change your brain's chemistry? Going for a hike outdoors increases endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that boost your mood and calm you down. Breathing in the fresh air on the trail can help regulate serotonin levels, which is a neurotransmitter that promotes joy, happiness,,
and positive well-being. Lastly hitting the trail can increase the production of dopamine. This happy neurotransmitter is released when we do something pleasurable or rewarding. Exercising, achieving goals, and spending time in the sunshine are all activities that have been linked to dopamine release.
Now, at the age of 24, I reflect on how I spent my young adulthood, hiking nearly every weekend and using time in nature as a tool to support me on my mental health journey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, my time spent hiking was dramatically reduced. I yearned for another way to reconnect with my passion, so I opened up my Instagram account, Mindful Adventures Australia. For the last year, I have used this platform to share places I visit in Australia and how my adventures benefitted my mental health. I explore concepts like ecopsychology, nature therapy, and mental well-being, highlighting the connection between nature and mental health. Through my university degree and lived experience, I have felt firsthand how beneficial nature can be for our mental health. I feel so fulfilled sharing this knowledge and findings with the community, hoping that more people will find healing in the natural world.
When exposing myself to the natural world, getting through the more difficult times becomes a little easier. Life is in constant flux, and at times it can be almost impossible to control what will happen next. I have learned that through life’s adversities, I cannot always control what happens to me. However, I can control how I respond, and I choose to spend that time in the natural world where I feel most at home. Sitting on that little balcony in the Goldfields, I knew that hiking would be my guiding light to being the best version of myself possible.
Living in the Dandenong Ranges in Australia, Zoë Amber Preston is a young creative, traveller and student of life whose goal is to encourage others to get out into nature. Finding medicine through hiking and adventures as a teenager, Zoë went on to complete a Bachelor of Psychology, with a special focus on ecopsychology and nature therapy. After years of lived experience and working in the mental health industry, Zoë went on to create her blog Mindful Adventures Australia in 2020, which explores how the great outdoors can improve our holistic health and wellbeing. When Zoë isn't working, you can find her hiking in national parks, exploring regional towns, learning about the human brain, and creating content to encourage others to get out and explore the natural world.
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