The Health Benefits of Being in Nature And Why Residents Love Living Near the Arboretum

When you spend time in natural settings like gardens, forests, and other green spaces, you can’t help but feel more relaxed and feel your mood improve. Scientists have long recognized the health benefits of nature on well-being. 

A recent study of 20,000 people, conducted in England found that people who spent two hours a week in green spaces—local parks or other natural environments, either all at once or spaced over several visits—were substantially more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who don’t. So, what are some of the ways to gain the most health benefits of nature in those two hours? Read on.

Find a Forest, Take a Bath

Communing with nature is often as easy as stepping outside your front door and taking a walk around the block. For a deeper immersion into nature, you can try “forest bathing.” It’s not exactly what you think. Forest bathing refers to a Japanese physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku, where you “take in the forest through your senses,” or in essence, mentally “bathe” in the atmosphere.  This is not about biking or jogging down a wooded trail. A forest bath is about using your five senses to just be one with nature, and to consciously connect with the calmness around you.

You don’t have to travel to a national park to take a forest bath. Lisa Nisbet, Ph.D., a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, who studies connectedness to nature says that “You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature.” If that sounds like something you want to try, start with a local nature preserve or a green space with a forested area. Take a buddy for safety but agree in advance that this will be a time for quiet, not chitchat.

Make Your Home Amid Nature, Gardens & Lakes

One of the best ways to guarantee you’ll always have access to nature is by moving to a beautiful senior living community like Meadow Lakes, where the grounds and outdoor features are designed to promote the health benefits of nature for residents. The campus is welcoming in every way to dogs as well. Dog stations with bins, water bowls and even treats, are located throughout the community!
But that’s not all. At Meadow Lakes, the health benefits of being in nature includes more than picturesque flower gardens.. This unique senior living community located in East Windsor, New Jersey, sits in the heart of the 100-acre Robert A. Winters Arboretum, This accredited arboretum, named for one of the original founders of Meadow Lakes, features the pristine Tear Drop Lake, along with Shanks Pond and the Marsh Pond, as well as numerous tree species, and an abundance of birds and wildlife, even a family of swans. 

Residents enjoy strolling on wooded paths, dotted with signposts identifying the trees that make every walk an enlightening experience. The arboretum is tended by a full-time arborist, but resident master gardeners also participate in planting and other activities. In fact, the diversity of tree species is so exceptional in Meadow Lakes, that the community is listed on the American Public Gardens Association’s national registry. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful place.

A Nature Lover’s Dream: Live in the Heart of an Arboretum

It’s true! Our beautiful senior living community is perfect for those who love and celebrate the health benefits of being in nature! Every day offers an opportunity to enjoy walks on peaceful trails through our incredible arboretum, and watch our amazing collection of tree species “change their wardrobe” with each season. 

You won’t find another Life Plan Community in the area with the beauty of Meadow Lakes. If you’re ready to learn more, contact us today to schedule a tour.