No Child Left Inside

You may have heard the term, "nature deficit disorder," coined by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods (2005). According to Louv, today's children spend far less time outdoors than even a generation ago. With the rise in electronic entertainment - from television & DVDs to computer games to social networking sites like myspace and facebook, to cellphone texting and Wii - today's children are spending more than 50 hours a week with electronic media (Kaiser Family Foundation).

This disconnect from nature has been linked to childhood obesity, attention disorders, and stress and depression in children. Conversely, recent research has shown that children with ADHD concentrate better after a walk in the park. And overall health improves for both children and adults who live near parks or woods, even in urban environments.

The benefits to children of re-connecting with nature include:

• increase in attention span, focus, and self-discipline
• better problem-solving and cooperative behavior
• increase in creativity, self-esteem, and overall happiness

According to the Children and Nature Network, "Children will be smarter, better able to get along with others, healthier and happier when they have regular opportunities for free and unstructured play in the out-of-doors."

You don't have to send your kids away to camp, take a family vacation to a National Park, or even allow them unsupervised play in the woods across the street. Outdoor activities can take place - safely- in your neighborhood park or even in your own backyard. Making outdoor play a family activity has the added benefit of strengthening family ties and creating shared memories that your kids will cherish for many years to come.

Check out these resources for family-oriented nature activities:

• The Children and Nature Network offers a free Nature Clubs for Families do-it-yourself toolkit
  
• The National Wildlife Federation provides easy and practical ideas for a family "green hour" every day: What Is A Green Hour?

Peaceful Sleep, Peaceful Dreams

According to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly 60% of Americans typically do not get a good night's sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to ill-health, poor decision-making, and depression. If you're finding it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or you don't feel refreshed when you wake up, then try some of these tips for healthy sleep:

(1) Try to go to bed at the same time every day. A regular schedule helps to maintain your body's natural circadian rhythm, important for good sleep. Try to wake up at the same time everyday, too.

(2) Create a sleep-inducing environment. Take your computer, television, exercise equipment, and other electronics out of the bedroom. Keep your room comfortable and quiet.

(3) Exercise regularly, but finish your exercise at least 3 hours before going to bed.

(4) Avoid consuming caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime.

(5) A relaxing bedtime ritual can be especially helpful. Turn off the television, computer, or other electronic device at least an hour before going to bed. Then soak in a hot tub, read a book, or listen to soothing music while drifting off to sleep.

More tips for healthy sleeping and other sleep topics can be found at the website for the National Sleep Foundation.

Just Relax!

Feeling stressed? Who isn't these days? April is Stress Awareness Month. According to WebMd.com, a certain amount of stress in one's life is normal. Too much stress, however, can lead to headaches, stomachaches, insomnia, depression, a weakened immune system, and other serious health problems.

One of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to learn how to relax. Simple changes in your lifestyle can often be the best cures for stress. Here are some suggestions:

• Turn off the television and listen to peaceful music instead.
• Add a water fountain in your living room or bedroom. The sound of gently burbling water can be quite soothing.
• Soak in a warm tub. Add lavender essential oils for a particularly refreshing experience. The scent of lavender is known for its calming qualities.
• Take a walk in a park. Surrounding yourself with nature acts as a counter-balance to weekdays overloaded with cars, computers, and other man-made contrivances. Nature is healing.
• Start a meditation practice. Even five minutes a day can have a profound impact on your stress levels.

In Alexandria, two recurring events can help you start on the road to relaxation:

The first is Dona Witten's guided meditations for healing and relaxation. Dona uses guided relaxation exercises and calming contemplations to help you learn to cope with stress and anxiety. She offers her relaxation workshops at Mindful Hands on the first Saturday of every month.

Also on the first Saturday of the month, Historic Christchurch offers a Labyrinth Walk, from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Labyrinths have been used for many centuries as tools for meditation, contemplation, and relaxation. I've walked the labyrinth myself at Christchurch and it is, surprisingly, profoundly invigorating as well as deeply relaxing. Certainly a great way to start your weeked free from stress!

As Ovid once said: "Take a rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."

Time for Happiness?

Here's another idea whose time has come: a national Happiness Index. We all know that money doesn't buy happiness, and with the current state of the economy, that message has hit home, hard, for many of us. So if happiness doesn't come from financial prosperity then where does it come from? The little country of Bhutan seems to think it knows.

Bhutan has implemented a national Happiness Index, called the Gross National Happiness, to measure the success of its people and its government policies. Built on the "four pillars" of sustainable development, environmental protection (more than 25% of its landmass is protected forest), cultural preservation, and good governance, Bhutan has seen dramatic improvements in literacy, infant mortality, and the general health and welfare of its population.

Now other countries are studying the model, hoping to develop their own models of health and happiness that go beyond economic success. Both Great Britain and Canada have implemented national indices of well-being. Perhaps it's time for the U.S., too, to shift its focus away from increased consumption towards an increase in quality of life.

For more on Bhutan's Gross National Happines index:

"A New Measure of Well-Being from a Happy Little Kingdom," The New York Times, Oct. 4, 2005.

"Bhutan's Enlightened Experiment," National Geographic, March, 2008.