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Last month I sat down and made an incredible discovery. Once you sit in front of your computer for longer than 11.5 consecutive hours the body’s natural response is crying. And by crying actually mean uncontrollable sobbing. I experienced this firsthand, the urge to scream, cry, and throw up had never been stronger. the raging headache and feeling that my life was going utterly to waste along with some deeper philosophical struggles clouded my brain as I attempted to finish my AP English Literature homework. Looking back, I can imagine how strange it looked, me crying over the idea of complex characters and their development, but I was going in a spiral. Officially it was 37 hours since I last took a breath of fresh air and while I did not realize it, I was having withdrawals. the headache, nausea, and sinking feeling that I would amount to nothing, was a result of my prolonged indoor confinement and the intense staring at my computer.
The times are strange ones, it’s not every day you live through a global pandemic.
And I have to say that it completely turned my life around. My sleep schedule was a mess, and even though I had absolutely nothing to do, somehow, I procrastinated all of my homework until the hour before. My energy levels were utterly obliterated, and my overall motivation was completely nonexistent. I was a different person; crying was now a larger part of my routine than eating and I didn't know why. So, as any Gen Z teenager would do, I googled my symptoms. That came along with immediate regret. According to WebMD I either had a serious case of undiagnosed bipolar disorder, or I had a large brain tumor. This sent me into more of a spiral, but I couldn't stop scrolling. Eventually through the tears and gasps for air as I planned my funeral, I came across this one article.
As I read, I realized that We are children of mother nature. That’s a fact. we often believe ourselves to be these workaholic human beings of the new wave of technology neglecting the path of our previous evolution. I am a culprit of this crime. Americans spend 93 percent of their time indoors. We rely on pills and therapists to fix our problems when according to this article, the biggest remedy is just simply to go outside. I’m not going to lie, I let out a laugh at this ridiculous statement, there was no way that spending time outdoors could fix the emotional mess that I was in, but in light of my curiosity I kept reading. It was on the Japanese conducted a scientific study of the benefits of "fresh air". "shinrin-yoku" they called it. Forest bathing. The art of submerging ones five senses completely into the environment. Then I realized it was more than that. It was the small moments where you feel your toes sink in the mud or watch as the sunlight trickles down the leaves of the tall trees above. The harmony of the birds and the sound of the river slowly glazing over soft rocks. This is therapy. Proven to relax and destress automatically. It all makes sense. How? It opens up a sixth sense. A bridge between your mind and nature. How it’s supposed to be. Allowing your senses to wind down and take in the atmosphere for what it is. Away from the artificial stressors of everyday life. The anxiety that comes with technology, social media, responsibility. Submerging yourself in clean fresh air is known to elevate oxygen levels in one’s brain consequently amping up one’s serotonin. A hormone that is directly corro0lated to one’s overall happiness. This is more than a spiritual experience this is a chemical reaction.
The next week I went outside every day. My sleep schedule was fixed, my mood was stable and I was finally myself. Don't believe me? Try it yourself, just 30 minutes a day.