Why Doctors are Prescribing Nature
I was feeling that pressure- everyone wanted something from me. I wanted to get too many things done. The housework was piling up and I hadn’t really taken any time for myself in a few weeks. I was back to procrastinating sleep in an effort to have some time to myself in the evenings and when I eventually got to bed, I was struggling to sleep. Something had to change.
That rainy Saturday morning, I decided to go for a spontaneous overnight hike when I knocked off work that afternoon.
I watched the weather slowly improve through the window at work and my excitement to be alone on the trail grew. The mounting piles of washing at home could wait.
I got to the Brookton Highway carpark to find The Bibbulmun Track south had been diverted for a planned burn and quickly had to adjust to my backup plan, racing the dark to walk north to the Mt Dale Campsite.
The weather held out and I got to the campsite walking with a new trail friend I had met. She had never hiked solo at night before so was glad for the company.
We made dinner and read the log book together, then went our separate ways to bed. She set up her tent away from the hut, leaving me to snore in peace that night. And finally… I was alone.
The stars were out, the air was cold and still
The bush sang its night song
I was finally at peace.
There were no demands of me. Nothing I could do. It was me and nature. Nature and me. Me- a part of nature that loses sight of that from time to time.
It’s not surprising to me that a study showed that listening to bird sounds significantly improved mental health.
It’s not surprising to me that in Australia, the UK and the USA, GP’s are being encouraged to prescribe time in nature to help prevent and manage diseases like diabetes, heart disease, mental illness and lung disease.
Time spent in nature has given me the tools and self-confidence to know that I can handle any hard thing that comes my way- but not by fighting nature. Instead by immersing myself in it, going with its flows.
So in case you need the nudge, here’s your nature prescription:
Go sit in a green space for 30 minutes.
Feel yourself unwind. Watch the birds and the insects and remember that we’re a part of something bigger and our silly little human worries aren’t the only thing going on in the world.