The modern man spends a lot of time indoors. How much is up for debate, but if you consider your average day, you'll be surprised at how high that number may be. From sleeping to eating to working, many of us are easily spending 90% of our day indoors. And that sucks.
But not only does it suck, it may be bad for us. In an Environment and Behavior study, researchers found that people who are withdrawn from nature have higher levels of stress and anger. Those who have access to windows, the outdoors, or even just pictures of nature, feel lower levels of these negative emotions.
Though we probably don't need research and stuffy guys in medical jackets to tell us nature is cool. Remember all the fun you had as a kid tearing through the woods, swinging a stick like a sword. Remember all the fun you had last weekend, relaxing at the beach.
Unfortunately, we can't always be outside — but we can bring a little bit of outside in. Since you can reap some of the benefits of nature simply by looking at images of it, why not view some stunning nature imagery on those rainy days when you're stuck in the house?
The BBC Documentary Life is now available on Blu-ray and DVD and it's another stunning nature entry from the makes of the critically acclaimed Planet Earth. This set includes all 11 parts of the documentary narrated by Oprah Winfrey and collects 130 different stories in the natural world – from animals rearing their young to a nail biting sequence that finds a pack of hyenas facing off against a pride of lions.
With a run time of 484 minutes, you've got plenty of nature at your fingertips — and if you're in the mood for just some beautiful ambiance, there is a “music only” viewing option which mutes Oprah, leaving you alone with the imagery and music.
So while it may seem a little bit ironic to sit in front of your flat screen to really experience nature, we're not suggesting you shun the real thing for this documentary. But if nature isn't agreeing with you outside, take it inside. Or, if you'd rather the excitement of the Serengeti rather than the tranquility of your backyard, pop in Life into your player and escape from the hustle and bustle of daily living.
To help you relax and rediscover nature, we're giving away two copies of Life on DVD, all you have to do is ReTweet:
RT @Primermag Primer is giving away 2 copies of BBC's “Life” on DVD: http://ow.ly/2dMT7