Work or school have you stressed? Need a break from the mundane? The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recommends taking a dose of nature at least once a day to refresh and de-stress.

Numerous studies have linked spending time outdoors to an increase in overall physical health. Being outside has been proven to reduce heart rate, blood pressure, fatigue, and reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

“I prescribe nature,” said Jefferson City-based Wellness Practitioner Dianna Richardson. Richardson holds a doctorate in Naturopathy and has been treating patients for nearly 30 years.

Research has found that the average American spends as much as 12 hours a day in front of a screen, whether it be scrolling through social media on a smartphone, watching television, or using a computer. Too much time on devices can lead to a weight gain, chronic neck and back pain, vision issues, and poor sleep.

“We are over-stimulating our brains with constant screen-time, which causes stress, causes chronic fatigue – all of these negative responses,” Richardson explained. “If we get into nature, we can undo a lot of that damage.”

Not only does nature help physical health, but it has a tremendous impact on mental health, too. Richardson notes that being outside helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.