Feeling Stressed? Luxor Nursing and Rehabilitation at Mills Pond Suggests Heading Outside

There are plenty of sources of stress in today’s world, but researchers have found an inexpensive way to lower your stress hormone levels.

In a study recently published in Frontiers in Psychology, it was discovered that spending 20 to 30 minutes just sitting or walking “in a place that provides you with a sense of nature” reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

This is an easy goal for seniors to achieve because it does not require strenuous exercise – simply sitting or taking a leisurely stroll will accomplish the desired effect.

As for a precise location, study participants were just told to go anywhere outside that made them feel like they’ve interacted with nature.

The time spent outdoors was also important. People who spent 20 minutes outside each day did have a reduction in cortisol levels, but those spending in the range of 20 to 30 minutes in nature saw the greatest cortisol level change. Anywhere longer than 30 minutes has continued benefits but at a lower rate.

The study’s authors hope that this information can allow doctors to prescribe so-called nature pills that dictate what to do, where to do it, and for how long.

“Healthcare practitioners can use our results as an evidence-based rule of thumb on what to put in a nature-pill prescription,” said Dr. Mary Carol Hunter, lead author of this research. “It provides the first estimates of how nature experiences impact stress levels in the context of normal daily life. It breaks new ground by addressing some of the complexities of measuring an effective nature dose.”

Many drugs and other products are used in treating stress-related maladies, but this free and natural remedy could be the best of all.