August is National Adventure Month! According to the Arbor Day Foundation, Adventurer Peter Kulkkula started this month to encourage us to celebrate and explore American lands. Here at NCH we love celebrating this Month as a part of our Worksite Wellness initiative and encourage all our staff to “get out there,” and play! With over 430 different national parks and forests in our country alone, there are so many wilderness areas to be explored! Not to mention here in Vermont we are filled with lakes, mountains, rivers, streams, gardens, backyards, historical places, and countless opportunities to adventure in our home state and neighborhoods. There truly is something for everyone to discover this month as we answer the call to adventure.
This month can feel like the sand slowly draining from an hourglass as fall starts to loom in the air, however for many, it’s when time also slows down and you can actually “adventure!” These adventures are also like adding extra sand into your hourglass because their benefits to your health are priceless. Outdoor activities embrace the wellness factors of emotional, physical and mental benefits of improving your mood, cardiovascular fitness, strengthening muscles and increasing dopamine while releasing endorphins. This is a win for everyone! Not to mention, the connections we can build outdoors with others or even individually with nature have a major boost on our overall health and are proven to boost our immune systems as well. A study undertaken by the University of Derby and Wildlife Trusts showed that people who were connected to nature for two months were happier and healthier and there was a direct link between increased exposure to nature and feeling better. Maybe this is a sign to start with August and keep it going!
Leading researchers from Harvard Medical School agree that adventuring is where it’s at for better health. In fact, Heather Eliassen, from Harvard’s T. H. Chan’s School of Public Health published in January 2024, that “Spending time outdoors in green spaces has been linked with myriad physical and mental health benefits, including lower mortality.” (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/) Accumulative data showing that adventures in nature significantly reduces stress hormone levels, enhances mental well-being, and improves overall health. Engaging with green spaces for at least 20 minutes can lead to notable decreases in cortisol, promoting relaxation and cognitive function. Nature is essential for human health. This can be as simple as a walk or as adventures as white water rafting, the best part is, you get to choose!
The extra benefits come from the ability to be disconnected from the beeps and buzzing around us. And the constant need to check emails or fulfil duties causing the culture of burnout. “[Time spent outdoors] provides a combination of stimulation of different senses and a break from typical overstimulation from urban environments,” Eliassan said. “Exposure to green space results in mental restoration and increased positive emotions and decreased anxiety and rumination. Improved mindfulness can result from exposure to green space as well.” Next time you have a chance to get outside, think about what draws your attention, what stills your mind and what you might be able to learn from taking time in nature. Maybe you can do this by even just popping outside for 5 minutes or for lunch or taking more time outside before you jump in the car to your next destination.
It’s likely we can agree that Vermont is a very special place, so special that thousands of people come here each year to go on adventures! In addition, here in the NEK we know what amazing opportunity we have with nature all around us. While the flooding has made us realize just how precious our home is, it can make us realize how much we want to take advantage of this season and get out there and be in our own community too. Walk, hike, bike or even drive somewhere new. Let your feet feel some new grass or dip into new waters. See how that feels and just be present to your own adventure. How does it feel to connect with nature?
If you want to see what adventures await, set a goal for this month. When will you get outside? Where will you go? Who is going with you or are you going alone? What do you need? Making a specific plan/goal will make it more likely to make it happen. Then you can take this even further by reflecting after each adventure. Write about where you went, what you saw, smelled, heard, tasted, and felt. How did the overall experience make you feel? Did you try something new? Did you reach a new physical goal or emotional milestone? How is this adding to your life? Are you sleep better? Feeling better?
It’s time, let’s get out there. Plan an adventure with a friend, partner, pets, coworkers, kids or your family or even just YOU! Go climb, swim, walk or sit in nature and welcome the connection! It may just change your life and increase your health from all angles! From our green hill to flowing rivers, Vermont is the perfect place to adventure! Stay safe, have fun, and explore! Adventure is calling!