Investigación, Cultura, Medio Ambiente
What Nature Does to Us
Introduction
That clarity you feel coming down off the mountain isn't a coincidence. A book helped me understand why — and why protecting our mountains protects us.
A book that shifted how I see it
A few days ago a friend recommended a book called The Nature Fix, by Florence Williams. Reading it, it clicked for me that a lot of what we feel in the mountains — that clarity, that calm — isn't a coincidence. There's an explanation, and there's research behind it.
How many times have we gone out to the hills just looking for air, or to disconnect for a while? It turns out the thing we're chasing without quite naming it is fairly well documented.
You don't need a week of camping
The best part is you don't need a seven-day trip. Going out for a while, looking at a tree, listening to the wind — that's already enough to start working.
The book explains Attention Restoration Theory: natural spaces give the brain a break from the mental overload of the city. That's why we come back sharper, with more energy and in a better mood. All of it happens among trees, hills and rivers, without us doing anything but being there.
Your body notices too
It isn't only your head. Being outdoors helps regulate blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and pushes you to move. For those of us who hike, all of that comes bundled into every route, even if we rarely think of it that way.
And it isn't only personal
Being in nature also connects us to each other. Sharing a hike, or a rest in the shade of a tree, builds bonds in a way that's hard to replicate in the city.
The same holds for kids: outdoor play and exploration are shown to support better emotional and mental development.
What's at stake here
Here in our city, places like La Huasteca and Chipinque aren't just somewhere to go walking. They're under pressure from urban sprawl and pollution. And when they're lost, we also lose a real part of what we need to be well.
There's a line from the book that stuck with me: we used to protect the environment from us; now we protect it for us. And it's true. Looking after our mountains is looking after ourselves.
So next time you head out, remember you're not just getting exercise.
Questions
Have you ever felt this effect yourself? Tell us about it.
Write to us with any questions or suggestions, and as always, we'll see you on the mountain!
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