The Renewal in Return – How Nature Can Heal Us

Within moments of stepping into nature, our heart rates slow, and our breathing deepens. Muscles release their invisible grip, and our senses start to recalibrate, drawing our attention to details we may usually miss, like birdsong and the feeling of sun or wind against skin. The smaller details of the world become clearer and more captivating as our sense of awe is stirred.

After a while, blood pressure and cortisol levels drop. Mood and memory improve, and we start to feel calmer – better, even, and more present. Towering troubles dissolve, and complexity unravels into clarity. The longer we linger, the more deeply these effects take root. In fact, over time, immune function, sleep quality, and tolerance for stress and uncertainty strengthen, and we often feel drawn to the idea of returning to nature.

When we look closely enough, we see that the natural world is an endless exhibition of colour and pattern that can lift our mood. But when we zoom out, all these colours converge into great stretches of green and blue that make up the Earth from above. Despite being a part of them, it’s almost impossible to conceive of how intricate they are.

There are an estimated 5-10 million species on earth, excluding microbes, which would catapult this number into the billions. When we spend time in natural spaces, we notice more of the life around us and start to remember our connection to something bigger than ourselves. This can lead us to become more conscious of how we move through the world.

Although most research focuses on the power and properties of green spaces, we’re now learning more about how water can soothe us, as well. Just being near it improves our sense of well-being, easing our minds into a more tranquil state and letting us know it’s safe to relax. Lakes, dams, rivers, oceans, and even aquariums straddle constancy and change. The gentle repetition of ripples on a surface or the sound of flowing or lapping water captures our attention, drawing us out of rumination. This is known as the Blue Mind Effect.

Water is, of course, crucial to not only the well-being, but the survival of all biodiversity. And when it comes to plant life, so is sunlight. When we’re exposed to sunlight, our bodies produce more serotonin and Vitamin D, making us feel happier and improving our bone density and immune system. But when the sun hits the earth, it helps sprout plants that can be used as medicine.

African wormwood is indigenous to the continent and is used by numerous local cultures and communities to treat headaches and colds. Its leaves are boiled, and the steam they release is inhaled, or they can be made into a tea that helps with stomach ailments. The flesh of marula berries is often fermented and made into drinks with extremely high Vitamin C content, or the nuts are roasted to extract an oil that’s good for hydrating and protecting skin against signs of ageing.

Parts of the pepperbark tree can be chewed or crushed into a fine powder and used in infusions to treat various kinds of infections and malaria. Baobab leaves are used to treat fever, African potato to treat burns, bites, and rashes, and Bush Tea to help with sore throats and parasites. These are just some of the medicinal plants found across Singita’s concessions that help heal us in very real ways.

Nature is rarely far from our reach, and we don’t have to travel or immerse ourselves in it completely to experience its positive effects. All it takes is 120 minutes per week, less than 20 minutes per day, of phoneless walks in the park or sitting outside at lunch. Even watching nature documentaries has been proven to reduce pain, and listening to nature sounds can help us manage stress. Test out this theory with the sounds of Sweni.

When we look for it, nature is all around us. It’s the spider weaving an ancient, webbed pattern under our stairs and the birds perched outside our office window. The manicured hedges that line our city streets, home to countless critters, and the pools of water that gather on the sidewalk. It’s outside our doors and even on our devices, always accessible. It’s forests and oceans, great stretches of green and blue, and brown, that surround us. And if we zoom out enough to realise, they’re there.

Returning to nature starts with noticing it. And when our minds and bodies recognise even the simplest, subtlest natural cues, we begin to feel renewed.