Have you heard of it? They do it in Japan, in Korea, Scandinavia. We get so caught up in our day-to-day lives that we fail to see how it might be affecting us. The concrete jungle. The shiny lit-up screen we hold in our hand. The computer beckoning us the moment we get to work. What are the consequences of a life lived detached from the natural world?

Humanity has spent the last 5 million years living in nature. It’s only been since the Industrial Revolution that we have really moved into these urban settings of big cities and suburban neighborhoods. We’ve been working inside more, and using our technology more. According to one article I read, a survey found that only 10% of American teens are really spending time outside on a daily basis. Some scientists even believe we are suffering from something they call nature deficit disorder - and that not spending time outside actually leads to behavioral health issues and impaired brain function.

It has been clinically proven that even 30 minutes a day spent outside in nature can reduce the level of a stress hormone in your body called cortisol.

Go outside. Look at, and smell the trees. It really will make you feel better.