10/03/2024
I love a sunset! Seriously, if you look through my phone gallery a good half of the pics are sunsets, taken various places. I know some of the reasons why - being outside and in nature, the colors, and the spectacle, and the way the trees or hills become dark shapes against the glow. I also know that my heart slows down as I'm drinking in the beauty. I feel my nervous system resting. I hear myself taking big breaths, and sighing out in contentment. I'm doing it right now, just thinking about it and looking at these (unfiltered) pictures taken on a recent trip to Arizona.
If you are feeling stressed, or your vague nerve is activated, or in fight/flight, one of the best things you can do for yourself is take it outside. Being outside and in nature has proven, restorative effects on your nervous system: calming, regulation, increasing breath and oxygenation, and moving from the activated ventral state to a more rest and reflect state. Even just looking at a PICTURE of nature can have the same soothing qualities. So go to a park, look around at nature, feel the trees, listen to water, feel dirt or sand under your feet, watch a sunset.
