Did You Take Your Vitamin N Today?
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Perhaps it was the prolonged screen time or too many sugar snacks. The boys were antsy, grumpy and looking for trouble. When I suggested we all go to the beach, usually a favorite destination, they both said it sounded boring. I countered with: “We’re not just going to the beach, we’re doing an experiment.” This ploy got them into the car. On the way I asked them to describe how their bodies felt. One said sad, the other mad. I told them we were going to see if the negative ions at the beach might change these feelings. They, of course, wanted to know what the heck were negative ions.
Negative ions are oxygen atoms with an extra electron. Created by the interaction of water, sunlight, and the Earth’s inherent radiation, these odorless, tasteless, invisible ions occur in various concentrations outdoors, in nature. When we inhale, they end up in our bloodstream and increase our levels of serotonin. As a neurotransmitter, serotonin helps us feel really good- alleviating depression, relieving stress, and boosting energy. You’ve probably experienced this when you were in a funk and felt refreshed after a walk. You get a good dose of negative ions just being around plants and trees. You get a massive dose anywhere near moving water- walking on the beach, swimming, surfing, paddle boarding, or sailing.
“Generally speaking, negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy” - Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain.
After frolicking in the surf for a while, it was no surprise that the boys reported feeling happy and full of energy a short time later. Whether it was the exercise, fresh air, negative ions, or simply disconnecting from the grid, they could feel the positive result. In his book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv coined the phrase “nature deficit disorder” to describe the negative consequences of too much virtual and too little real time. His recent book, Vitamin N, sites studies showing how spending time in the woods, on the seashore, or on a mountain trail rebalances the body-mind and supports wellbeing. As we discovered in our beach experiment, it clearly improves the mood.
Unfortunately, the therapeutic benefits of Vitamin N don’t come naturally when you’re immersed in the convenience, comfort, and distraction of life in the 21st century. Going outdoors seems unnecessary when you can access entertainment, news, shopping, and professional resources with a simple tap of the finger. Exercising happens in the gym and wellbeing is measured with an app. Even when you go outside, you don’t walk barefoot for fear of stepping on something. You don’t get your hands in dirt because…well, it’s dirty. And, the slow pace of rocks, rivers and trees pales in comparison when high tech, rapid-response, and over-stimulation are the norm. As a result, you’re probably suffering from a bit of Nature deficit and feeling foggy, funky, and uninspired. In order to reset and regain your equilibrium, you may need to spend more time outdoors- at the beach, a park or, even, in your own backyard.
For a little extra incentive, you could challenge your curious and playful self to do a Vitamin N experiment. To set it up, schedule time to be outdoors by yourself without your iPhone, for about 10 or 20 minutes. The only agenda is to be present and observe. Take a moment to note how you feel at the onset. Is your body tired, heavy, agitated, or numb? Is your mind flooded with busy-ness? Is there any negativity or impatience? Without judging or analyzing, let this be your “before” marker. Now, empty it all out as you walk or sit quietly, returning to your commitment to simply be present and observe whenever you get distracted. To structure the time, you could do a Vitamin N meditation.
Vitamin N Meditation. Find a comfy place to sit and close your eyes. Feel the space inside your body- your belly, chest, head, arms and legs. Expand your awareness to include the space around you and all of the plant life therein. Feel your tension and word thoughts dissipate as your personal space gets bigger and bigger with each breath. Imagine there are lots of odorless, invisible negative ions floating all around and permeating every cell of your body. If your attention drifts, come back to the present moment and a pixilated image of ions flowing in, around, and through- connecting you to the natural world. When you’re finished, check in again to compare how you feel with how you felt just a few minutes ago. Do you feel lighter, calmer, more focused? Do you feel more relaxed, connected, and upbeat? Is your spirit renewed?
This isn’t just your imagination. Spending unstructured, focused time near trees, rocks, water and, even, dirt is a good way to get a healthy dose of Vitamin N. When you take the time to do it, you’ll definitely feel the difference. And, once you do, you’ll want to go back again and again. Just ask my grandsons.
Originally published in the Montecito Journal