Have we lost the art of sitting still? Here’s why it matters

Life is busy, sometimes ridiculously so, which can lead to high levels of stress. This can make it harder to switch off, meaning you’re trapped in a state of perpetual busyness and your mind left disco dancing all night long.

Sitting still can make us feel uncomfortable, guilty or worried others will see us as lazy, wasting time, and not doing anything useful. Being left alone with our thoughts can even cause distress, as shown in one study that found participants would rather give themselves an electric shock than sit with nothing to do.

The problem is, this denies us something fundamental to our health and wellbeing. Not being able to switch off means you miss out on the time needed to lower stress to more manageable levels, restore physical and mental energy, and retain clear thinking and happiness.

Too much chronic stress contributes to higher levels of inflammation in the body which increases your risk of developing stress-related illness, chronic disease, anxiety and depression, and burnout.

It’s all in the stats

Eighty per cent of chronic disease and premature death is preventable. Think about the impact of being able to prevent 80 per cent of heart disease, stroke, and type two diabetes and 40 per cent of cancer by making changes to your lifestyle.

This is why lifestyle medicine practitioners like me adopt a holistic and scientifically based approach that seeks to prevent illness and disease, and promote better health and wellbeing.

The six core principles include a healthy diet, physical activity, good sleep, healthy relationships, avoiding risky substances like smoking and excess alcohol, and effective stress management. Lifestyle is medicine.

There’s something else, too. Something we intuitively understand makes a positive difference to how we feel. We know, but in our busy state, forget and, consequently, suffer the detrimental effect of our deficit.

It’s something inherently simple, readily accessible (mostly) and free: spending time in nature.

Spending time in nature allows you to relax, slow down, and find greater inner peace and calm. Countless studies have revealed the positive impact of stepping outdoors into a green or blue space.

Nature can assist you in the gentle art of switching off in three ways.

1. Nature reduces stress

The practice of Shinrin-Yoku, also known as forest bathing, was introduced in the 1980s to assist overworked and exhausted Japanese businessmen lower their stress. It was shown to lower blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels, so they stayed healthier and at lower risk of developing heart disease.

But you don’t need a forest. Spending 20 minutes sitting, walking or meditating in nature produces the same effect. Now your head feels clearer, you’re in a better mood, and are better prepared for whatever comes next.

2. Nature restores attention

If you’ve ever taken a digital detox – turned the phone to silent, chosen not to check your emails or use earbuds – you’ll notice when you’re outside that you can engage in the full multisensory experience provided by nature.

You adopt a soft fascination and appreciation of your surroundings. You notice more; the clouds moving across the sky, the tree tops swaying in the wind. You hear birdsong and other natural sounds. You start to look at the world in a different light, which creates awe and wonder and boosts creativity.

A four-day hike can boost creative problem-solving by 50 per cent, but 20 minutes a day spent outdoors also helps. What better reason to get outside at lunchtime or anytime, to restore your focus and come up with some brilliant new ideas?

3. Nature heals

Time in nature reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and helps you sleep better and for longer, which is also critical to better physical and mental health. It also exposes you to phytoncides – the natural substances produced by trees that are calming and boost levels of natural killer cells – which is part of your body’s immune system that works to ward off infection.

Recovering from illness, including cancer, can be assisted by spending time outside. Having access to see or be in a green space, no matter how small, has been shown to speed recovery, reduce the need for as much pain medication, and boost coping skills.

Feeling warm sunlight on exposed skin for 15 minutes boosts vitamin D production in our skin, which is important for bone and muscle health, and cognition.

Overcoming our nature deficit is as simple as setting the intention to spend 20 minutes a day doing something outside. With everything to gain, it’s time to reclaim your ability to sit still, without the guilt or the fidgets, in nature.