The Mental Health Benefits of Bird Watching May Surprise You
Watching birds may not be high on your list of things to do on any given day. However, if you stop to look around, you might notice some interesting things about birds as they flit around your yard, sit in trees, or even chase each other around in the air. With so many distractions now, it is a wonder anyone stops to see the birds in the sky and take time to notice something other than their cell phone or getting lost inside their heads. People who take time to notice birds and watch them tend to have surprising mental health benefits that may surprise you. Find out what they are and how to cultivate some of those benefits for yourself in recovery.
Mental Health
One of the big reasons people struggle with mental health issues in a distracted world is they don’t take time to look up and look around them. Nature and creatures are all around. They are flying outside your window, landing on your front porch, flying up in the sky and migrating north and south every year. There is something beautiful and cyclical about watching birds do their thing without worrying about what is going on in the outside world. They just keep mating, creating nests, sending the birds out of the nest, and living life on their terms. Getting outside is not just good for your mental health, it can have physical benefits, as well.
Bird Watching Benefits
When birds fly around your house and out in nature, they are just there doing what they always do. The benefit to other people is the ability to admire and experience them in their natural habitat. They often bring many benefits to cities by eating bugs and provide much happier spaces to live. Watching birds can help people:
- Boost mood
- Lower stress
- Relieve anxiety
- Build different skills
- Start a new hobby
- Increase awareness of nature
- Get outdoors and spend time hiking or walking on trails looking for birds
You don’t have to go far to find birds, they are in urban and suburban environments, rural and bustling metropolises. When you spend just a few minutes per day outside or listening to birds chirping, you can cultivate a sense of being part of the bigger picture of life rather than get stuck in the solitude and isolation of your personal experiences. In recovery, this can be a huge benefit to healing your past to have a better future.
The Palmetto Center is based on a Therapeutic Community model. We help people learn how to live free of addiction. Our community support provides structure while trained counselors offer life skills training and therapeutic techniques to help you move past addiction. Our program provides special focus for professionals including chiropractors, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and more who need help with addiction recovery. Call us to find out more: 866-848-3001.
