Prescription for inner peace

If your stress level sits at an 11 while your energy matches that of a hibernating bear, you aren’t alone—research shows that many urban dwellers suffer from a bad mix of lethargy and anxiety. But according to a new study performed at the University of Michigan, the outdoors could be a free and accessible remedy to these woes. There is even a catchy name for it: nature pills, or the “nature experience” (abbreviated as “NE”). The study focused on the relationship between two physiological biomarkers of stress and NE duration. Results showed a drop in both stress markers with just 20 minutes of quality nature time. The jury is still out on how much and how often to take your nature pill, but evidence suggests 20 to 30 minutes of sitting or walking in a place that provides you with a sense of the outdoors as a reliable dose.

Source: Health Medicine Network