Green Exercise and Mindfulness in Nature with Jessica Patching-Bunch

In today’s episode, we’re talking about green exercise and mindfulness in nature! My guest, Jessica Patching-Bunch (JPB) fills us in on all the benefits that moving outside can provide to the body, brain, and our general well-being.

Green exercise is deliberate movement in a natural environment – everything from hiking or biking outside, to Tai Chi in the park, to swimming, and many other activities. I know from my personal, subjective experience that being outside is good medicine, but since JPB has a neuroscience and research background, I wanted to pick her brain about the science of green exercise. 

You’ll hear about:

• how being in nature increases the benefits of exercise and movement
• how seeing fractals (natural geometric shapes) reduces stress (as measured by fMRI and EEG)
• why being in nature has similar effects to meditation, because it influences what we’re paying attention to and how we’re attending in the present moment
• specific ways our physiology responds to nature, like lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels, and enhancing mood. 

We talked about different ways to be mindful in nature, giving examples like the Japanese concept of “forest bathing” (shinrin-yoku), and JPB’s own practice of noticing “pretty little things.” And, we also touched on how exposure to the discomfort of being out in the elements – like when it’s hot, cold, or rainy – could help us develop stress resilience. 

I hope this episode will inspire you to take your movement outside in the coming seasons – or to at least look out the window more during the day! -- You can learn more about Jessica Patching-Bunch (JPB) through her website 

and by listening to her podcast, Brain Body Resilience! 

You can also follow her on Instagram @jpb.brainbodyresilience  

For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

Lastly, you can follow the podcast (and Addie, the host) on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, yin yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).