Islanders across the Channel Islands are being encouraged to explore nature as part of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week.
Getting out in the fresh air and enjoying nature has been a major coping strategy for many of us throughout the past year. Indeed, recent research has shown that having contact and interaction with nature can reduce feelings of isolation and protect our overall mental health. Christian Silver, from My Mindful Guru, says spending just a short amount of time outdoors can have huge health and wellbeing benefits.
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
It is something that is widely used as a therapeutic technique, to help cope with anxiety and can also help with depression.