ADHD & Nature Immersion – Good for the Body & the Brain

Sapolsky on Human Differences – Neuroscience Matters

August 3, 2014

End the Nightmare: Address ADHD Sleep Challenges

August 17, 2014

Published by Dr Charles Parker at August 9, 2014

Natural Immersion Tips for Body and Brain Improvement

Guest Post By: Linda Anderson

Travels Matter

If there is anything I can recommend to you this summer, it's simply this, go somewhere beautiful. Go to the desert, water, mountains, or trees and immerse yourself.

In my life I've covered some interesting new territories, and spent time in some incredibly beautiful places all across the United States. Some of these places I've travelled to several times, and I am always overwhelmed by their beauty. Just remembering these moments brings a deep feeling of satisfaction and a welcome pause in whatever I am doing throughout the rest of the year.

I’ve often wondered what it is about being immersed in nature that feels so rewarding and gratifying. What is it about even remembering some of these past experiences that feels so good? I sure don’t get the same degree of pleasure remembering that fine piece of chocolate I once ate, the special wine I drank, or the fantastic concert I attended. These memories simply slip away.

Unplug from Distractions

Today, my life is filled with electronic devices. The next and newest device, my recently purchased iPad, for example, brings with it a degree of satisfaction and excitement – but the pleasure fades away pretty quickly. Would you describe the experience of buying your latest electronic device or even your last car as deeply satisfying and uplifting?

So, just what is this feeling that one gets when surrounded by the immensity of nature? How is it that I can just think about one of these places I’ve been, and I immediately feel relaxed, peaceful and connected? Of course, it is about stepping off the treadmill, pausing for a moment and just breathing.

Transcendence becomes automatic. Metacognition follows.

Nature provides a sense of place and driving rhythm

But I think there is more to it. I think the experience of being in nature resonates in our body and brain as an ultimate kind of coming home–nature coming home to nature. We feel the awesomeness, connectedness and even the gratefulness of being a part of something splendid, magnificent and unexplainable. This experience sends a myriad of happy neurochemicals coursing through our body.

As human beings, we need to have our senses stimulated and awakened. We learn through our senses. Too much stimulation feels chaotic, unpleasant and painful. Too little means we don’t grow. Living in the high speed, high definition, 3D world we live in, today, our senses can quickly get saturated and out of balance. Nature, the real thing, is alive with color, texture, taste, smell and sound that feeds and soothes our senses in a way that technology just can’t.

Nature has a pulse, a rhythm. When we pause for even a moment in nature, we can feel that pulse and it feels good. When we experience a single moment of awe in nature, the message traveling from each of our sense organs arrives in the brain unified and whole– no dissonance or discord here. The brain and the body share one revelation–it feels good to be alive.

How can time in nature help us heal?

Being immersed in nature is therapeutic for all of us, but it can be especially healing for someone who suffers with ADHD. If you have ADHD, you continually work hard at managing, prioritizing, and focusing. You work hard attempting to maintain a consistent and productive pace, and you work hard trying to live up to other people’s expectations.

In nature, you just don’t have to try as hard to get it right.

One final thought, regarding the mystery of what makes being immersed in nature so deeply satisfying. One of my super talented and overwhelmed ADHD clients shared with me why she loves getting out of her office and lost in nature. With the same blend of excitement, exhale and overall gratitude that I feel simply thinking about some of my past experiences in nature, she said,“I just love the feeling of being small in nature.”

It makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s the right kind of overwhelm.

Linda Anderson, MA, MCC
Getting Clear– Business and Life Coach Specializing in ADHD

For more information on how to turn challenge into accomplishment, visit my website.

Website: http://www.gettingclear.com

Facebook: Facebook – Linda Anderson – ADHD Coaching

Twitter – @LindaAndersonGC

Drop comments below re: your take on summer vacations – and travel. Does travel matter for you and your family?

Thanks Linda, well said! Hope you're taking some time off yourself! It was super working with you this past year. Linda is a serious leader in the ADHD Coaching Community, and it's a privilege to welcome her comments here for our CorePsych readers.
cp
Dr Charles Parker
Author: New ADHD Medication Rules – Brain Science & Common Sense
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