What Benefits Does 20 Minutes in a Nature Offer?

By Jessica Ott | June 6, 2019 |

Stress affects all ages. In the elderly, stress occurs for many reasons. Being alone, feeling isolated, knowing there’s a chronic health condition, those situations can pile on the stress a senior citizen feels. Frontiers in Psychology brought the benefits of nature to the limelight.

Senior Care Gettysburg PA – What Benefits Does 20 Minutes in a Nature Offer?

A recent study found that just 20 minutes in nature helps lower stress hormones. The University of Michigan study lasted eight weeks. Cortisol levels were taken from participants before going out and doing something in nature. Participants chose what activity they wanted to do for at least 10 minutes three times a week.

At the end of the study, it was determined that the cortisol levels were lowest in people who went outside into nature for at least 20 minutes. It didn’t matter if someone walked along a beach or sat on a bench and watched birds in a nature preserve. Being out in nature was all it took to lower stress.

Does Stress Really Impact Health?

You might be wondering if stress is really all that bad. Everyone feels stress from time to time; it’s normal. That’s true, but stress also builds up over time. Over time, unresolved stress can weaken the immune system. It can create sleep disorders like insomnia. Panic attacks, migraines, muscle tension, and irritability are common issues with stress.

Feelings of excessive stress can lead to depression. It can cause a person to turn to alcoholic beverages in order to unwind. In time, that could make a person dependent on alcohol. Stress can lead to binge eating that causes obesity and a slew of health issues like diabetes and high cholesterol. It can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.

Learning how to manage excessive stress is important. If it’s as easy as taking a walk on a nature path or along the shore, why not take time each day to do that?

How Can You Make Daily Exercise Work for Your Mom or Dad?

Current recommendations are that all adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. That 30 minutes can get broken up. Take your parent to a natural area with a pair of binoculars. Walk for 10 minutes and then stop at a bench and watch birds. Walk another 10 minutes and take another break. Your mom or dad can get in 30 minutes of exercise that way if the full 30 minutes at once is too much.

If you can’t join your parent each day, hire a professional who can. Senior care services include many helpful activities. Senior care providers can take walks with your mom or dad. They can cook meals, drive them to local parks, or help them with personal care. Call our senior care agency to get started.

Sources: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190404074915.htm

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care Services in Gettysburg PA, please talk to us. Our friendly staff can answer all of your questions. In-home Senior Care in Adams and York Counties, PA. Call Today: (717) 698-8258.

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Jessica Ott

Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC

Jessica Ott is the Owner at A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC.

A Helping Hand Home Care Services, LLC is dedicated to providing our clients with a better quality of life through our support services while maintaining their independence in the comfort of their own home.

As a Home Care Agency licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, we can provide families with peace of mind, knowing their loved one is in good hands.

We will work with you to prepare a care plan that incorporates your needs, your wishes, and your preferred schedule. Each client is matched with a caregiver who can best meet their individual needs, whether they reside in a house, apartment, condominium, assisted living, or nursing community.