5 reasons why wood and nature inspired materials are good for you and your health

Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself. —L. Wolfe Gilbert

While looking for a relatable quote to start this article with, the one mentioned above spoke out the loudest. We firmly believe that there is absolutely nothing that nature can’t make better, right from our physical health to our mental health.

As humans, we all are biophilic by nature which means we are psychologically wired to feel connected with nature. This is the reason why we tend to feel calmer and happier amidst natural surroundings like sunlight, greenery, water, and other elements of nature. 

Here is something you can try: Tomorrow when you get up try to avoid looking at your phone but go ahead and open those windows to let some natural light stream in, go say hi to your indoor plants for a while, and finally get some fresh air by stepping out on your balcony while sipping on your warm water.

You will notice that these absolutely simple activities will fill you with hope and joy. You will kick start your day with a positive mindset compared to the usual rushed one.

Studies have demonstrated that simply having a view of nature from a window can have significant positive effects, such as shorter postoperative hospital stays. 

Isn’t that amazing!!

If we ask you to imagine a place where you would like to go back again and again, we highly doubt that you will pick a mall or a nightclub. And we are affirmative that you will choose a place with natural surroundings, as it instantly makes you feel calmer and more at peace.

In today’s fast-moving world full of deadlines and hustles, what each of us dreams of is a calm and peaceful place. And what is something that effortlessly creates that calm ambiance, NATURE or the second-best is natural surroundings?

The times you are living in where life is limited to being indoors, your busy schedules hardly allow you to take trips to the woods, the beach, or the mountains on an impulse. So what do you do in such a scenario??

You bring nature-inspired materials and small elements of nature right inside your homes, to give yourself that sense of being in the company of nature.

Not surprisingly the presence of indoor plants has also been shown to have benefits, such as improved cognitive functioning in office environments, increased tolerance of pain in the hospital, and lowered blood pressure and heart rate.

Surrounding yourself with wooden and other nature-inspired materials like pottery made out of clay, natural light outlets, lots of indoor plants, nature inspired show pieces, fresh flowers, sustainable and organic linen, and plant hangers made out of jute, etc is not only best for our planet but also the best for your health and well-being.

Let's look at some other aspects of wood and nature-inspired materials on our well being-

1. Improves indoor air quality- The presence of wooden products or fixtures in and around your house helps maintain the quality of air indoors. Wood maintains this balance by absorbing the excess moisture in the air and releasing moisture in case of a deficit. We all feel better when we breathe better. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agencies recommendations, healthy indoor humidity levels are between 30-50%. Placing wood-based materials inside your bedrooms also helps to reduce indoor humidity at night, helping you sleep better and wake up relaxed.

2. Reduces stress & anxiety- Having nature-inspired materials indoors relaxes and calms you down by giving you the feeling of being amidst natural surroundings. As humans, we are wired to feel drawn towards nature and natural surroundings. The warmth and rustic charm that wooden products and handmade clay potteries exude, help you feel relaxed and comfortable thus reducing stress levels.

Patients recover faster if placed in rooms with a lot of natural light and discharge stress-free compared to those, discharging from dimmer rooms.

A 2010 study of responses of 119 students in wood and non-wood offices before, during, and after assignment to a stressful task. Test results showed that skin measurements indicated lower stress from subjects in the wood office compared to the non-wood ones.

 3. Increases interactions and self-expression- A study conducted on 44 elderly Japanese residents at a care home showed a peak in the level of conversations and positive interactions when they sat on wooden tables and chairs and used wooden tableware, whereas when the same things were replaced with plastic the results proved otherwise.

After a hectic day of work, wouldn’t you want to end your day with a hearty meal and meaningful conversations especially now that you know it is backed by studies?

Next time you have guests over or just family sitting together for a meal, don’t forget to use your wooden tableware to get conversations flowing.

4. Increases productivity- With work from home becoming the new normal, you must be noticing a dip in your productivity. What if we tell you the air quality indoors has a lot to do with how productive you feel. Don’t believe us??

According to research productivity takes a dip by 12% if the employees feel dissatisfied with the quality of air including flowers, plants and natural elements like daylight have been observed to add to a positive mood and boost productivity and enhance creative thinking, at work and of course at home offices.

Wooden office fixtures and fittings, as well as the use of blue, was associated with greater productivity.

5. Mental Satisfaction- How you feel on the outside has got a lot to do with how you feel from the inside. If you invest in sustainable materials you will feel like you have contributed to a cause and not just shopped to satisfy your cravings.

Choosing to bring sustainable goods inside your home not only benefits your immediate surroundings but also the planet at large. On top of that, you get to form a long-lasting relationship with your products and shift away from the “use and throw” culture.

Every day we handle so much stress and more so now when the line between work and life seems to be blurring slowly. It's upon us to do the maximum to safeguard our inner peace and well-being. Sustainable living and surrounding yourself with nature-inspired materials do that for you by keeping you calm and stress-free. As I said, considering our lifestyle, creating natural surroundings around us is the best shot to feel connected with nature.

So which wooden piece are you planning to get for your home next??

Checkout some of the best ones here.

References-

1. Woodworks.org

2. Makeitwood.org

3. Public Health Research