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A guided nature journal for iPhone and Android users in Britain and Ireland, full of seasonal prompts and ideas

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Even when we can’t get out and about, nature can still help us keep well. When required to stay at, or close to home, and be socially distant, it’s important to look after your mental wellbeing.

Your wellbeing can benefit from a close relationship with nature. This ‘friendship with nature’ isn’t dependent on taking a trip into distant natural landscapes, it can be made at, or very close to home. Here are some ways everyday nature can lend a hand:

1. Notice and write down the ‘Good Things in Nature’

2. Explore your relationship with nature

3. An audio nature meditation

4. Virtual Nature – let nature help manage your emotions.

These are four nature-based suggestions to help stay well. You can try a variety of approaches to maintain your wellbeing and find ones that work for you. You can try other ideas and reach out for further support if you feel you need it.

1 – Notice and write down the ‘Good Things in Nature’

If you can see a little nature from your home, a tree, visiting birds or flowers for example, this exercise can be done each day. Simply take a moment to tune in and notice everyday nature.

You can write a sentence about the beauty of small things to the whole of the sky. It could be as simple as noticing a bird singing or the movement of a tree in the breeze. Changes in the clouds or noticing flowers bloom.

Find a friend in nature, be it the local birds or a favoured tree. If you can, take some action to encourage birds closer to your home – provide food or water for example.

2 – Use art and words to explore your relationship with nature

A close relationship with nature is good for wellbeing. And a closer relationship with nature comes through noticing nature and its beauty, feeling the joy and calm nature brings, celebrating and expressing what nature means to you, and caring for nature.

Explore and deepen your relationship with nature in ways that work for you, outside if you can, but also from home through art, music or words – be creative!

Here are 5 types of relationship with nature to get you started.

Senses– If you can, take a moment to notice any everyday nature nearby. Tune in to everyday nature through the senses.  Listen to birdsong or watch the breeze in a tree.

Beauty – Notice nature’s beauty. Take time to appreciate beauty in nature and engage with it through drawing or take a photo of a flower.

Emotions–  Notice how nature makes you feel – the joy and calm it can bring. Find happiness and wonder in nature, birds being active, their flight or simply a spiders’ web.

Write down and share your feelings about nature, using social media for example the #NaturalHealthService on Twitter.

Meaning– Some of the greatest works of art and favourite poems are about nature. It means a great deal to people. Find and share songs, stories, poems and art that are about nature.

For example, compile a nature playlist, try reading some classic nature writing, work that is immersed in nature such as The Pageant of Summer by Richard Jefferies available for free. Similarly, read some classic poetry about nature, such as On a Lane in Spring by John Clare, is freely available.

Explore and express how nature brings meaning to your life. Create your own songs, stories, poems and pictures of nature.

Care– Take action for nature. Think about what you can do for nature. If you can, feed the birds, plant some bee friendly flowers, dig a pond and create homes for nature.

3 – An audio nature meditation

If you don’t have access to nature, or would like to try something different, try meditating on nature.

Make sure to sit in a quiet and undisturbed place for the next 10 minutes. Check that the volume of your speaker or earphones is high enough without being too loud. This recording will guide you through a short meditation. The bell will ring at the beginning and at the end.

Settle into a comfortable position, either on a straight-backed chair, or on a soft surface on the floor. When you are ready to start, try as far as possible to adopt an erect, dignified, and comfortable posture. Allow your posture to express and support your intention to be awake and consciously present.

If sitting on a chair, have the feet flat on the floor with the legs uncrossed. If you sit on the floor, experiment with the height of the cushion or stool until you are comfortably and firmly supported, with your knees lower than your hips. Gently close your eyes as you listen:

http://ncxrg.wp.derby.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2020/03/Meditation_recording_10min.mp3

4 – Let nature help manage your emotions.

If you can spend a little time outside in greener places, do so. If not, even viewing pictures and videos of nature can help. Take time to notice and share the good things in nature. Let nature help manage your moods and emotions.

Immerse yourself in Virtual Nature

If you can, find a spot away from distractions and use a bigger screen, to view some photos or videos of nature (try 5 or 10 minutes and see how you go), here are two examples:

If nature isn’t working for you

Try to do things you enjoy and keep your mind active. Spend time doing things you enjoy – this might include reading, indoor hobbies, listening to music, favourite radio programmes or watching TV. Play games, do crosswords or puzzles, try drawing or painting. Check out ways to get creative.

Whatever it is, find something that works for you and take time to relax.

Wider Guidance

There’s plenty of general advice available. Visit guidance from trustworthy sources, for example Every Mind Matters in the UK, for example, try to:

Connect with others, to enjoy conversation, but also to talk about your worries if needed.

Create a daily routine

Plan practical things like making a plan to get household supplies.

Try to eat healthily.

Try to get some exercise.

Look after your sleep.

Don’t watch too much news – set a specific time and use trustworthy sources.

Finally, there’s also support for those finding the situation very difficult.

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Nature Connections – Resources from the Nature Connectedness Research Group at the University of Derby

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Even when we can’t get out and about, nature can still help us keep well. When required to stay at, or close to home, and be socially distant, it’s important to look after your mental wellbeing.

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Whilst nature can be found anywhere, high-quality nature spaces, which we know are most likely to help support good mental health, are not available equally to everyone in the UK. This is a more complicated picture than just how far we live from a high-quality nature space.

Proximity is certainly a factor, with deprived communities least likely to live near a high-quality nature space. Perhaps unsurprisingly, our poll found that people living in urban areas were less likely than rural residents to connect with nature as much as they wanted. People without gardens were less likely than those with gardens. Younger adults, in particular, may face many barriers to connecting with nature.

People living with a disability or health condition often face particular barriers to access when natural spaces are not equipped with inclusion in mind, or there is a lack of accessible routes.

For some groups, including many women, younger people, disabled people and people from ethnic minorities, nature spaces may feel inaccessible or less enjoyable because they are not safe - from the risk of physical harm, sexual harassment, hate crime or discrimination.

For many of these groups, this inequality has a double effect. Several groups described above not only get less of the well-being benefit of connecting with nature due to these access barriers, but they are the groups within our population most at risk of mental health problems.

There are good examples of initiatives in nature spaces to reduce the inequality of access and allow all groups to benefit from connecting with nature to support their well-being. High-quality urban parks, designed with accessibility in mind, can enable more people to enjoy and connect with nature. Other solutions include planting flowers and trees along our streets or even recreating natural habitats where new human developments such as a road have been built. These are known as "green corridors".

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Nature: How connecting with nature benefits our mental health

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Our relationship with nature - how much we notice, think about and appreciate our natural surroundings - is a critical factor in supporting good mental health and preventing distress.

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Electric Daisy, an award winning garden and event space growing in the heart of Derby

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Today's busy lives can have a significant impact on our mental and physical wellbeing. If you're looking to escape the hustle and bustle for a while, why not have a go at forest bathing? Despite the name you won't need to pack your swimsuit: it simply means the practice of slowing down and immersing yourself in the forest atmosphere.

The science behind forest bathing

Forest bathing or 'shinrin-yoku' was first developed in Japan in the 1980s, following scientific studies conducted by the government. The results showed that two hours of mindful exploration in a forest could reduce blood pressure, lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and improve concentration and memory.

They also found that trees release chemicals called phytoncides, which have a protective antimicrobial effect on human bodies and thereby boost the immune system. As a result of this research, the Japanese government introduced 'shinrin-yoku' as a national health programme.

Forest bathing in the UK

Over the last few years forest bathing has begun to gain popularity in the UK. Many of us naturally head outside as a way to unwind and feel refreshed, but the benefits of nature therapy are also backed up by science: in 2018 academics at the University of Derby found that improving a person's connection with nature led to significant increases in their wellbeing.

Sometimes, a simple walk in woodlands, where you're surrounded by the echoes of calling birds, and that satisfying crunch of fallen leaves and twigs underfoot, is the perfect remedy for reducing stress.

Explore the natural world

From learning how to identify trees to discovering the underwater world of rockpools, pick up some top tips to help you get closer to nature.

Camp under the trees at Brownsea Island, Dorset and uncover the history of the Scouts movement in 'Escape to adventure island'. You can also find more episodes from series seven, filled with nature and history.

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Learn the basics of 'shinrin-yoku', or forest bathing, and discover how slowing down while immersed in nature can help reduce blood pressure and stress levels.

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Using the power of nature to boost health and wellbeing

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Whether it’s listening to birdsong on a spring morning or crunching through leaves on a bracing autumn stroll, many of us instinctively turn to nature to lift our spirits. Increasing evidence backs that up, proving that nature really does have the power to boost our health, happiness and wellbeing. That’s why we launched the first ever Nature Prescriptions project in England in 2023.

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The Recovery Foundation - Courses 'Built on Hope'

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The Recovery Foundation was founded to support people recovering from mental illness by building hope. Courses for organisations.

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Woodland Wellbeing delivers team building days, workshops and events with nature and bushcraft at it’s core.

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Delivers nature connection workshops and demonstrations for community organisations; team building and wellbeing days for businesses; walks, talks and bushcraft workshops for all. Based in Sheffield, Woodland Wellbeing has use of various accessible woodland sites providing friendly, accessible spa

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Boosting nature in education. Nature is in trouble, and we know that young people and educators want to act and make a difference for the planet.

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Other Ways to Walk is a project by artist and wellbeing expert Rachel Howfield Massey exploring the benefits of nature connection and creativity. The project started in 2016 and has included lots of collaborations and discoveries along the way, including partnerships with scientists, writers and performers, a medical herbalist, bushcraft and tracking experts, local authorities, NHS, health and social care providers and the fabulous eleven design. Rachel is based in West Yorkshire, UK.

Woodland Retreats, Workshops and Festivals

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Check out some upcoming events - or sign up for newsletters for more details of events including Mindful Drawing, Forest Bathing, nature connections walks and night walks

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Artist | United Kingdom | Other Ways to Walk

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Other Ways to Walk is a project by artist and wellbeing expert Rachel Howfield Massey exploring the benefits of nature connection and creativity. The project started in 2016 and has included lots of collaborations and discoveries along the way, including partnerships with scientists, writers and performers, a medical herbalist, bushcraft and tracking experts, local authorities, NHS, health and social care providers and the fabulous eleven design.