It’s Blue Monday today, one of the saddest days of the year. For a natural solution to overcome the difficulties of this time of year, take a walk in the woods!
Is it really the saddest day of the year? It was coined in 2004 by Cliff Arnall, a psychologist and motivational speaker, after Sky Travel asked him to devise a formula to determine the year's most depressing day. It was subsequently used as the centerpiece of a Sky Travel advertising campaign designed to reduce some of Blue Monday's misery by encouraging holiday bookings.Is it really the saddest day of the year? It was coined in 2004 by Cliff Arnall, a psychologist and motivational speaker, after Sky Travel asked him to devise a formula to determine the year's most depressing day. It was subsequently used as the centerpiece of a Sky Travel advertising campaign designed to reduce some of Blue Monday's misery by encouraging holiday bookings.
A natural solution – forests!
It takes just 20 minutes of walking in the woods to significantly reduce the stress hormone – cortisol.
A 30-minute brisk walk five times a week may reduce the risk of developing depression.
Research conducted in Poland has shown that forest areas at different times of the year can be effective in regenerating mental strength. For example, forest in winter and deciduous forest in autumn lower blood pressure.
Negative ions found in the forest air have a refreshing and stimulating effect, ensure well-being.
Inhaling essential oils helps with depression and anxiety disorders. The action of the oils is responsible for about 50% of the health effect of walking in the forest.
Ornithotherapy, or the therapeutic effect of bird watching. Swedish researcher Marcus Hedblom and his team concluded that “birds provide people with non-monetary values such as improved well-being and stress reduction.”
Spending time in nature can increase problem solving and creativity by 50%. Then we use involuntary attention, which does not require any effort from us. so our mind rests.