Bonnie Schneider

Climate grief is a relatively new term that’s quickly seeping into broader circles of conversation. In 2017, the American Psychological Association (APA) released a report, “Mental Health and Our Changing Climate,” which outlined the psychological trauma caused by natural disasters, along with the significant mental health impacts from longer-term climate change. Connecting with nature, finding like-minded support groups and getting involved in active climate causes are some ways to cope with climate grief.

If you ever feel that 3pm after lunch productivity slump, there may be a more natural and healthy way to get an energy boost: that doesn’t involve coffee or cookies. Connecting with sunlight each morning isn’t just the key to starting the day, it can also help improve afternoon energy levels and regulate sleep. This course will walk you through how circadian rhythms affect various biological processes and how you can harness its power for better productivity.

As described in the APA: “Good mental health means emotional, social and psychological well-being, healthy relationships, effective functioning and productive activities, and an ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity. One approach that has been shown to foster mental well-being is focusing on gratitude. Many studies have found an association between being more grateful and a greater sense of overall well-being. Gratitude is demonstrated by strong connections with positive emotions and feelings such as being hopeful, inspired, forgiving, and excited. Gratitude refers to appreciating what is valuable and meaningful to oneself…”

With time changes, shorter days, and inclement weather driving people indoors, seasonal depression or the “winter blues” is four times more common in women than men. Reduced winter sunlight and dreary weather from November through February can lead to a more extreme version of this sadness called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Five percent of adults endure SAD annually. More than 50% of the human population lives in the northern temperate zone between the Tropic of Cancer and the arctic region to the north. There’s also a connection to climate change: while summers and winters may be warmer, more moisture in the atmosphere due to greenhouse gases means more intense rain and snow in the winter. That may equate to less availability to get outdoors during the colder months.

A whole-brain analysis revealed that time spent outdoors was positively associated with gray matter volume in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and positive affect, also after controlling for physical activity, fluid intake, free time, and hours of sunshine. According to research, an outside walk can stimulate the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells. There are techniques to implore on how to reap the most brain health benefits from walking outside and connecting in nature. This can be done before or after work or on a lunch break.