How nature resets our nervous system

Stepping into nature has a magical effect on the body, except this magic isn’t magic at all — it’s simply the wonders of science in action. Some you may not be fully conscious of. Almost instantly, attuned to ancient instincts, our bodies begin to regulate themselves, our senses reconnecting with the elements.

Improved mental quiet and clarity, and physical well-being are as close as the outdoors. Even in a city, you can always find a park or green space in which to reset through small, intentional interactions with nature.

In the wilderness, however, with no barriers between you and the rest of nature, you’re fully surrounded by its benefits. At Singita Explore, these effects are unfiltered. With only mesh tent walls separating you from the plains, time spent in fresh air, your feet on the ground, the camp is as close as it’s possible to be to physical and mental transformation.

Throughout the day, connecting with different elements of the wilderness brings renewed energy, a sense of calm and safety, mental clarity, and peace, as each is needed. Your body returns to its natural state.

The feel-good factor of sunshine isn’t purely sensory. It triggers a wave of chemical reactions in your brain that physically alter your hormones.

Unzipping your tent flap and stepping outside within an hour of waking helps regulate your circadian rhythm. Warm skin and sunlight reaching your eyes cue serotonin and endorphins, which course through your body.

As the sun hits your face and skin, your energy levels balance. A healthy spike in cortisol awakens your senses and slowly lowers stress as the day progresses. Gentle as it breaks over the horizon and gradually warming, the sun is a source of energy and vitality, a life force.

Beautiful and soothing to the ears without question, the peaceful effect of birdsong goes much deeper than its pleasant melodies and rhythms. There’s an evolutionary reason behind the reflexive feeling of comfort we feel when a bird sings nearby, or in the distance. It signals to our nervous system that all is well.

In nature, birds sing when there’s no danger present. And they sing for many reasons: to call a mate, to communicate, to announce they survived the night. All signs of well-being. This sound in nature is a subliminal indication to our nervous systems, which subconsciously remember nature’s warning systems, that they are safe.

Perched on tent tops, soaring above the trees, sitting observantly in trees, myriad birds are always present at Explore — messengers and sentinels, the soundtrack to the bush.

Unlike built and urban environments, which are often sharp, angular, and unrelenting, the patterns and formations found in nature engage different parts of our brains.

These fractals — recurring patterns found naturally in art and nature — include tree branches, seashells, snowflakes, river systems, and veins in a leaf. They’re mirrored in our bodies, in blood vessels and the airways in our lungs, demonstrating how intrinsically we are one with, and part of, nature.

Our brains respond differently to these patterns. Seeing them cuts stress levels and mental fatigue, promoting a feeling of calm. Surrounded by trees, rivers, leaves, or butterflies, time in nature is an automatic visual cleanse and opportunity for mental respite.

Ground — a noun and a verb. An action that soothes and calms. One that helps us to be present in our surroundings and focus on the now, what’s in front of us, rather than being distracted by worries or thoughts that may not be important right in this moment. A word for the earth that sustains and nurtures life.

Standing or sitting with your feet planted firmly on the ground, or the grass, hands holding something physical — a tree, a mug of coffee, another hand — we’re brought back into our bodies and the present. Grounding narrows our focus to a single point and stills our minds. Sensory inputs from our surroundings calm our nervous system, which in turn can reduce inflammation and improve sleep.

Fresh air doesn’t just smell good. It feels nourishing. Breathing it in raises oxygen levels in our brains, which in turn boosts serotonin, a neurotransmitter that alters our state of mind for the better.

Natural environments encourage slower, deeper breathing, a taking in of oxygen, and then a release, a letting go. The wide-open expanses of the bush, the uninterrupted flow of the breeze in and out through our spaces, clean and unpolluted — this is the purest distillation of life.