–by Sally Beare

'Now I see the secret of making the best persons', said Walt Whitman, 'it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.'

When you think about it, where and when have you felt happiest and most fulfilled? Many people, when asked this question, will recall being somewhere outside in nature – on a beach, up a mountain, or in some other beautiful place amongst plants and stunning scenery. Not many people will think of an indoor location such as an office – even if they were making tons of money at the time – or art gallery, theatre, or nightspot. Mental illness is at an all-time high and anti-depressants are the number one prescribed drug in the USA. Could this be partly because we are not going outdoors enough?

People in the Longevity Hot Spots, who tend to be in a good mood most of the time, are lucky because they have forests, mountains, clear open sky, oceans and lush green fields to enjoy. They see the sun rise and set and they see the stars and moon in the sky above them every day. This brings them close to nature and gives them a sense of eternity and connectedness with the earth and the universe, which lifts the spirit and enables them to exist in the moment. They also receive a steady supply of endorphins from the sunlight and from exerting themselves physically outside. This is in stark contrast to the way most of us live, spending our time tramping along pavements in polluted air, stuck in traffic jams, wedged into stuffy offices, and sitting on crowded underground trains.

However, the vast majority of us do have access to outdoor spaces of some kind. Most cities have parks or public gardens within walking distance, and for the weekend there are any number of wilder outdoor locations often just a car journey away. There are also plenty of clubs which have organised activities in scenic places such as surfing, kayaking, mountaineering, white water rafting, or ball games such as softball.

Just pottering around outdoors in a small garden or yard can also be highly effective at lifting the mood. It was recently reported in Science Daily (May 25, 2010) that being outside causes us to breathe in or ingest beneficial bacteria called mycobacterium vaccae which is found in soil and borne on the wind. When this bacteria was given to mice, it was found to increase their serotonin levels and decrease anxiety. It also improved their cognitive ability, probably because serotonin is linked to memory and learning, with mice given the bacteria able to navigate mazes twice as fast as other mice.

Being outdoors puts us in touch with the seasons, which reminds us reassuringly of the cyclical nature of life. Children especially love to hear about what it means when the leaves are turning red and golden and that it will happen again next year and the year after that. They also get a kick from planting bulbs at the beginning of winter and seeing them miraculously grow into flowers when spring comes – as do adults.

Nature always has something enthralling to offer us, whether it is as commonplace as a spider building a web, as exotic as a crack in a glacier, or the thrill of a physical challenge. Why not try some of the following for a mental health fix:

• 'wild swimming' – find a clean lake or river to swim in rather than the local swimming pool
• wander through some woods or a forest; if you have children with you, collect leaves or forage for other items for a nature table at home
• if your backyard is looking a bit lacklustre, spend time planting and weeding or growing vegetables in it
• join a club which does an exciting sport such as mountaineering, white water rafting, kayaking, rock climbing etc
• visit a nearby park or garden during your office lunch hour
• make an effort to watch the sunset, if it is visible from your house or somewhere nearby you can get to
• organise a picnic or camp fire in a local beauty spot for family and friends – somewhere the kids can run around and let off steam
• go for a walk along the beach or somewhere beautiful you have access