Connect with Nature
Discover nature’s power to boost your physical and mental health and wellbeing
Feeling stressed? Overwhelmed? You’re not alone.
Working in the NHS is incredibly rewarding, but it can also be incredibly demanding. We understand the pressures you face every day, and we want to support your wellbeing. That’s why we’re encouraging you to connect with nature.
Why Nature?
Research shows that spending time in nature can have a significant positive impact on your mental and physical health. It can help to:
- Reduce stress and anxiety: Nature’s calming presence can lower cortisol levels and promote relaxation.
- Improve mood: Sunlight boosts vitamin D, which is linked to improved mood and reduced symptoms of depression.
- Boost your immune system: Spending time outdoors can increase the production of natural killer cells, which help fight infection.
- Increase focus and concentration: Nature can help clear your mind and improve cognitive function.
- Promote better sleep: Exposure to natural light helps regulate your circadian rhythm, leading to more restful sleep.
How to Connect:
Looking for ways to boost your wellbeing? The Five Ways to Wellbeing is all about finding what works for you.
Ideas to get you started:
Take Notice: Notice how the natural world changes with the seasons. Get outside and engage your senses – listen to the birds, watch the squirrels, smell the blossoms, and touch a tree’s bark.
Be Active: Even if you’re busy, a quick walk in the fresh air can make a big difference. Working from home? Try a “commute” with a short walk. Find places nearby to explore and get your heart rate up.
Connect: Think about how the changing seasons make you feel. Share your nature walks with a friend, chat about the natural world, or remember happy times spent outdoors.
Give: Give back to nature! Feed the birds, plant some seeds, grow herbs, or help a local wildlife spot. Think about how you can reduce your impact – use a reusable cup, reduce food waste. When you nurture nature, it nurtures you too.
Keep Learning: Learn about nature skills, local wildlife, or even just how these activities make you feel. What did you enjoy most? What do you want to keep doing?
Get involved
We organise regular nature-based activities specifically for NHS staff. These include guided walks, mindfulness sessions in nature, and gardening workshops
Find out more about the Green Health activities that are taking place on sites across NHS Lothian and how you can get involved
Astley Ainslie Hospital
Belhaven Hospital
East Lothian Community Hospital
Edinburgh BioQuarter
Midlothian Community Hospital
Royal Edinburgh Hospital
St John’s Hospital
Western General Hospital
Introduce the Five Ways to Wellbeing to you teams
If you work for NHS Lothian and would like our Green Health team to come along to one of your meetings to talk about the Five Ways to Wellbeing, or other ways you can incorporate Green Health activities into the healthcare journey, then get in touch.
Connect to our network to learn and share
If you feel passionately about the benefits of nature and their potential in addressing health inequalities, join our Green Health Network. All you need are a few good ideas, a little time to spare and a willingness to be involved with promoting and supporting green health activities across the Lothians.
In partnership with:
