Today, Americans spend 87% of their time indoors, plus another 6% in the car. Can you believe it?! Yet our bodies are designed to be in tune with nature, rising with the sun, winding down at sunset, and being outside regularly. That disconnect from the natural world can promote disease. Nature itself is healing for people of all ages, and more many mental and medical health conditions. Here are the 4 best books everyone should read on how nature heals. Pick one up, it can be life changing, and motivate you to go play outside – at any age!
Vitamin N. The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life by Richard Louv
Vitamin N (for “nature”) is a complete prescription for connecting with the power and joy of the natural world right now. Perfect for fans ofThe Anxious Generation.
- 500 activities for children and adults
- Dozens of inspiring and thought-provoking essays
- Scores of informational websites
- Down-to-earth advice
In his landmark work Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv was the first to bring widespread attention to the alienation of children from the natural world, coining the term nature-deficit disorder and outlining the benefits of a strong nature connection–from boosting mental acuity and creativity to reducing obesity and depression, from promoting health and wellness to simply having fun.
Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
“I like to play indoors better ’cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are,” reports a fourth grader. But it’s not only computers, television, and video games that are keeping kids inside. It’s also their parents’ fears of traffic, strangers, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus; their schools’ emphasis on more and more homework; their structured schedules; and their lack of access to natural areas. Local governments, neighborhood associations, and even organizations devoted to the outdoors are placing legal and regulatory constraints on many wild spaces, sometimes making natural play a crime.
Your Guide to Forest Bathing. Experience the Healing Power of Nature by M Amos Clifford
The bestselling guide to forest bathing with a new section of hands-on forest bathing practices and space for journal entries and reflections.
Simply being present in the natural world, with all of our senses fully alive, can have a remarkably healing effect. It can also awaken in us our latent but profound connection with all living things. This is “forest bathing,” a practice inspired by the Japanese tradition of shinrin-yoku. It is a gentle, meditative approach to being with nature and an antidote to our nature-starved lives that can heal our relationship with the more-than-human world.
The Nature Fix. Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
From forest trails in Korea, to islands in Finland, to eucalyptus groves in California, Florence Williams investigates the science behind nature’s positive effects on the brain. Delving into brand-new research, she uncovers the powers of the natural world to improve health, promote reflection and innovation, and strengthen our relationships. As our modern lives shift dramatically indoors, these ideas–and the answers they yield–are more urgent than ever.
