Dr Claire Henderson-Wilson, from Victoria’s Deakin University, says that “people are linked to the natural environment emotionally, cognitively, aesthetically and even spiritually”. Being immersed in nature can also restore people mentally. HSP’s or, as they are technically referred to, SPS’s (Sensory Processing Sensitivity) commonly suffer from ‘sensory overload’. According to Dr Henderson-Wilson research suggests that a natural environment fosters recovery from the mental fatigue caused by sensory overload experienced by many urban residents (and most HSP’s!)

Even a green leafy outlook from your room or office is therapeutic. Research has shown that hospital patients who have a leafy outlook tend to heal faster and need less medication than those looking at a brick wall. Henderson-Wilson says people who spend 30 minutes or more in green spaces each week are less likely to experience high blood pressure or depression.

Some tips for the ‘sensory overloaded’ HSP’s:
1) Take your lunch break in the park or garden (not at your desk)
2) Do your work-out or exercise outdoors
3) If stuck inside bring nature to you by surrounding yourself with some indoor plants, give yourself natural light exposure from a window with a ‘green’ view, and/or consult Mark about natural (green) approaches and remedies for better health and well-being.