It’s been in the negative digits this week in Wisconsin. It’s rather unpleasant to be outside, even for a few seconds. It literally hurts your face to open the door. Even inside, we’re using space heaters to try and keep up with the chill in the air.
However, I have this burning itch inside me to experience nature every day. Can you relate?
I try to spend time in front of sunny windows or at least run to the mailbox to get the mail. That’s about all I can handle, but it’s better than the alternative of not getting any nature exposure (the horror!)
So, that’s why I thought it would be helpful to discuss how micro-dosing is the solution when it’s too cold outside to go forest bathing.
What is nature micro-dosing?
Micro-dosing on nature is about getting little bits of exposure to nature whenever you can. A quick walk outside with the dog, a quick snowball fight with the kids, a quick jaunt outside to fill the bird feeder… It’s getting outside for even just a few minutes when it’s otherwise impossible to be outside.
What are the benefits of forest micro-dosing?
You might think, why bother if I can only be outside for a few minutes?
Studies show that just by looking at plants or having a nature window view, you experience positive benefits, so you can imagine the advantages of forest bathing in microdoses.
Just 5 minutes of activity outside is enough to improve mood and self-esteem (and help you stay warm).
Even if you think going outside for a few minutes wouldn’t matter, it does! You should even be able to notice how you feel different when you skip it for a few days. You start to crave it!
How can you get your micro-dose of nature?
Even if you can’t get physically outside, you can view it from the window or sit in a sunny patch.
- Gaze out a window at the glistening snow-covered branches.
- Curl up in a sunny patch on the carpet like a cat. Or Make Your Own Sunshine!
- Get as bundled up as you can and go lean on a tree for a few minutes.
- Pay attention to one of the green flourishing house plants. Touch, smell, and view it.
This is how I like to micro-dose on -20 degree days:
- Find a sunny spot on the carpet with a view of our treeline.
- Set the 2 minute meditation timer on my Fitbit.
- Follow the Fitbit deep breathing exercise with my chin tilted toward the sun.
- When the breathing exercise is over, stare out the window at the trees for a few minutes longer.
Otherwise, I like to put as many layers on as possible and walk along our treeline and back.
It’s enough to fill my lungs with a quick hit of fresh air, change my scenery, change my perceptual input for a few minutes, and get natural sun and nature exposure.
Here’s a quick view of what micro-dosing looks like at my house:
I hope this inspires you to get outside, even just for a few minutes. I’d love to hear from you:
How are you going to get outside today? Do you notice a difference when you do versus when you don’t get outside every day?