Uplift Your Mood with Nature

Ecotherapy is a growing scientific field based on the concept that people have a deep connection to their environment and to the earth itself, and if we fail to nurture this connection, it can negatively impact our mental health. While more common in men than women, research indicates mood disorders can occur as seniors face live changes such as retirement, a medical diagnosis, or loss of a spouse. Dr. Jason Strauss, director of geriatric psychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance, explains many seniors “do not want to turn to medication or therapy for help, and for many, interacting with nature is one of the best self-improvement tools they can use."

Though we may not have unlocked the key as to why nature improves our mood, studies show it does. In 2015, researchers looked at the brain activity of adults after they took a 90 minute walk in either an urban or nature setting. The brain activity of those who took the nature walk “had lower activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that is active during rumination — defined as repetitive thoughts that focus on negative emotions.”

Other benefits of spending time in nature include lowering the blood pressure and the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, the body's fight-or-flight response. Nature’s beauty is visually calming as well and can calm negative thoughts and encourage more positive ones.

MorningStar of Kirkland is a new, independent living community in the Totem Lake area in family-friendly Kirkland. Residents will not only appreciate our contemporary apartments and luxury amenities but our location. We offer strolling paths on our sprawling grounds as well as lots of local trails as we are minutes from Juanita Bay, the Sammamish River Trail, and Sammamish Valley Park. Our community is close to the Evergreen Health Medical Center, shopping malls and restaurants, and around 20 minutes to Seattle. With a unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest,” we are a step above other senior living communities. Visit our website for contact information. Isn’t it time you start living your life to the fullest?

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