Even though I grew up in the city, I’ve always felt drawn to the outdoors. No matter what is going on my life, being outside in the fresh air helps me feel grounded and alive, so it felt very natural to move to the countryside. Since moving, I have found many benefits of living close to nature than I ever thought possible.
What is nature?
A nature definition is simply a green space where you feel joy and connection with the environment. You feel at home in the outdoors.
There are many studies on how living close to nature has positive impacts on people. Among those is this study from BioScience on the benefits for mental health of living with nature, and a study from The Journal of Environmental Psychology showing that connecting with nature boosts the bright side of emotion regulation, which reduces stress.
Living out here has helped me realize the many benefits nature has for us. Here are 10 benefits that I have personally experienced and enjoy daily.
10 Benefits of living close to nature
1. Nature encourages exercise
With so many enjoyable activities to do outdoors, you won’t even realize how much you’re moving and exercising. Things like gardening, horseback riding, raising chickens, and snowshoeing are a few of my favorite activities that I find fun and get me moving. Since these activities are outdoors and a collection of what I enjoy, it’s not seen as a grueling chore, but something I can get excited about and look forward to.
Walking/hiking, riding a bike, fishing, bird watching, skiing, or snowboarding are other fun outdoor activities that get you out and enjoying nature while getting some much-needed exercise.
2. Nature reduces stress and depression
There have been numerous studies on how being in nature helps reduce stress and depression substantially. This can be as simple as going for a walk in your area, riding a bike, or simply being present in a green space.
As someone who suffers from anxiety, I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed at times. Being out in nature provides me with a balance of calm. It reminds me there is more to this life than something I’m dwelling on or worrying about. Hearing the birds outside, feeling the warm sun on my face, and the breeze through my hair helps alleviate a lot of anxiety and connects me with the earth.
“Forest bathing”, which is simply spending time in nature to experience benefits to the mind, body, and spirit, has proven to be an effective form of therapy.
Regardless of your age, get outside and rekindle that connection to nature.
3. Nature encourages family time
Want an easy way to limit screen time? Get outside and in the elements for some quality family time.
My son loves being outside, so we take full advantage to play outside together when it’s warm out. He loves when we push him on the swing, build sandcastles in his sandbox, or go for a walk and look at the plants and bugs. Even having a picnic or BBQ in the backyard encourages everyone to sit outside and enjoy each other’s company.
There are so many fun activities you can do together as a family, and your kids will love having the one-on-one time with you. There is truly nothing else they want more.
4. Nature helps make positive memories
That family time mentioned above helps you create some fun positive memories. Like the time we got to enjoy my son’s first time on the playset my husband built for him, or when the cousins came over and played soccer in the backyard for hours. Those are the moments we look back on fondly because we felt so good doing them.
Even if you’re enjoying an activity by yourself, you can create great memories just by doing them outside. You could be out for a walk by yourself and come across a scene that takes your breath away, like a beautiful sunset or a rare bird that takes flight over your head – a moment to remember!
5. Nature increases education of plants and animals
Living close to nature has helped me learn so much about the plants and animals in our area. We’ve taken pictures of plant leaves to see what kinds of trees we have on our property and compare them to other leaves we come across. We’ve used apps to help us identify different wildflowers and grasses.
I’ve also seen animals show up at our place that I’d never seen before in person. Woodchucks, skunks, voles, gophers, coyotes, herds of deer and the odd wolf to name a few (black bears have been nearby, but I haven’t seen one yet). It gets us looking them up to see what attracts them and what role they play in the ecosystem.
Learning about the many plants and animals native to our environment has given me a much greater appreciation and respect for them.
6. Nature provides fresh air
When you’re out for a drive in the country or going to the lake, there is just nothing else like rolling down the window and breathing in that fresh clean air!
I noticed the difference in air quality between the city and the country immediately after we moved into our country home. We still commuted to work in the city, and during the warm months, as we ventured further from the city and closer to nature, the air smelled better and felt so fresh.
That’s because there is less traffic and car exhaust, and there aren’t any factories pumping out smoke and toxic chemicals. We’re very fortunate to live in an area free of factory farming, which often sprays pesticides or other chemicals on their crops.
There are now many studies that link cleaner air to a longer life span. A win for everyone.
7. Nature inspires new hobbies and passions
Spending time out in nature can inspire us in so many ways, giving us new ideas for hobbies, or finding your passion.
Before we moved to the country, I knew I wanted to raise chickens for farm-fresh eggs. I did a lot of research and bought 10 little chicks within the first year we moved in. It was such a learning experience, and now I have a little flock of three heritage breed hens and one little Serama rooster. They are incredibly entertaining for me and my son. (They deserve a post of their own.)
Being around nature has also inspired me and my family to live a more natural lifestyle, eating organically and cooking real food from scratch whenever we can, growing our veggies and herbs, and learning about composting.
Nature has a powerful way of reaching and inspiring us, so get outside and find your passion!
8. Nature helps children develop
Children thrive in nature. It brings their senses alive, helps with motor skills, encourages language, and gets them moving, to name a few. Children have a natural affinity with nature. When a child is outside, just watch how they interact with, explore, and play in nature.
Since my son was born, I’ve been amazed at how nature plays such a huge role in his development. As an infant, I would strap him in his carrier and go for walks. He’d be mesmerized by the sights and sounds outside. As he got older, I would watch him grab the grass, play with mud and sand, look up at the tweeting bird, jump in puddles, and help plant seeds. It was mesmerizing watching him notice things that I took for granted.
With so many sedentary children, it’s more important than ever to get kids outside and close to nature.
9. Nature promotes a good night’s sleep
Living close to nature provides more peace, and I noticed this, especially at night. After living in apartments for eight years, we bought our first house in the city, hoping for some noise relief – but instead got loud and disrespectful neighbors who partied at all hours of the day or night.
Experiencing this constant noise pushed us to get out of the city, so I guess in the end it worked to our benefit. I still remember our first night in our country home and noticing how quiet it was. I slept so well, and to this day I do not take it for granted. Having a young child and trying to stick to a quiet nap routine puts that in perspective too.
Anyone who enjoys camping or going to a cabin will know how refreshing it is to hear the nature sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking at night, instead of traffic, loud music, or barking dogs.
10. Nature provides beautiful sky views
Living close to nature opened my eyes to the incredibly beautiful views of the sky. We have a large field of natural grasses that we cut and bale every year, and whenever I go out there for a walk, it’s not the field I notice so much as the sky.
Viewing the gorgeous sunrises, sunsets, and thunderstorms rolling in, no buildings are obstructing the views here. At night, the sky is a spectacular view of endless stars, lighting up the earth below. We live far enough north that on a clear night sky the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) appear out our living room window.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many benefits of living close to nature. If you’re not in a position to move closer to nature just yet, I hope this encourages you to at least spend more time outside to reap the benefits!
So let me know. Do you live near nature, or plan to? What other benefits have you experienced?