For highly sensitive people, navigating daily life can sometimes feel overwhelming due to our heightened senses. This sensitivity often means we experience the world more intensely, leading to sensory overload. Finding ways to manage this overwhelm is crucial for those of us who identify as highly sensitive. One of the most effective methods I’ve found is immersing myself in nature, where the tranquillity of the outdoors provides a much-needed respite.
The Healing Power of Nature for Highly Sensitive People
One of the few places where I find true solace is in nature. Walking in the forest with my dog, Dagr, allows me to escape the constant barrage of stimuli that life throws at me.
As soon as I enter a forest, I can feel a visceral change in the energy around me and an easing of the tension in my chest. The peace and tranquillity of the natural world provide a much-needed respite from the overwhelm I experience daily.
Finding Peace in Nature as a Highly Sensitive Person
For people trying to cope with sensory sensitivities, finding a quiet place in nature to escape to is important. Whether it’s a park, a beach, or a forest, being close to nature helps to calm your nervous system and restore balance.
I recently read Nicholas Carr’s, ‘The Shallows” What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains‘ and he mentioned research that demonstrated how spending time in the natural world positively enhances our cognitive functioning. Those who were able to spend time close to nature exhibited, “greater attentiveness, stronger memory, and generally improved cognition. Their brains become both calmer and sharper.“
Spending time in the natural world is vitally important to us as humans. It’s what we’re wired for. A walk around your busy city block doesn’t cut it. You have to immerse yourself in something like a secluded forest to feel the benefits.
I often worry when I see the little nature nooks in my city being paved over and developed. I don’t know how I would survive without these green healing sanctuaries, and I feel them slipping away.
Reflections on Nature and Society
We are worshiping the wrong things as humans. I fear that our greed is leading us toward our demise. I long for a global reset, where we wipe the slate clean and implement a new plan focused on living simply, ensuring a more even distribution of wealth and resources, and preserving nature.
Join the HSP Conversation!
If you’re a highly sensitive person, how do you manage sensory overwhelm? Have you found nature to be a sanctuary as well? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
