By Anna Chisholm, ABC News
Photo: RNZ/Michael Hall
Sunsets leave artist Jayde Hopkins feeling peaceful and reset.
While "not religious", the Gurindji and Woolwonga woman, who lives on Larrakia lands in Darwin, says a sunset can also make her feel in "awe of the universe".
"I think as an artist it's the colours that really speak," Jayde says, "the warm colours make me feel that way too."
She'll even point a sunset out to strangers at the petrol station.
"You'll never see the same sunset again. It's only there for a short amount of time. It's up to you to notice and appreciate it before it's gone."
It's the same feelings and emotions she tries to recreate abstractly through her painting.
Jayde also welcomes sunsets because they mark the end of the day.
"You're finished work and now your life is in your hands," she says.
The benefits of seeking a sunset
Psychologist Carmen Cubillo, also a Larrakia woman, says spending time in nature can have positive health impacts, and that a sunset - particularly on the beach - is a multi-sensory experience which can help us reflect.
"Nature takes you away from those things that stress you, and brings you back to the things that regulate and connect you," she says.
"I think we have to make that more of a priority."
Cubillo says that for her, time on country isn't only beneficial in the present but also an opportunity for her to build up resilience before future stress.
Watching the sun set from the beach at Bulgul on her Wadjigan grandmother's country, south of Darwin, is "very special".
"I was there in my mama's belly, and now I get to take my daughter out there."
CEO of the Australian Psychological Society, Zena Burgess, says a sunset can connect us with something bigger than ourselves.
She says research has shown the positive impact natural environments can have, especially on low levels of anxiety or negative thinking.
"It triggers a positive effect for people," like walking on the sand barefoot instead of in shoes.
It's why people remove their shoes at the beach, or are drawn to looking and commenting about a sunset.
Photo: Unsplash
Make it regular
Based in Naarm/Melbourne, Burgess' usual morning routine involves swimming in the bay as the sun rises.
It rewards her with a "sense of optimism for the whole day".
Burgess says to get the most out of time in nature, you should be enjoying it regularly and "not expecting it to be a singular event".
"It's not a substitute for mental health care, but it's something that can contribute in a positive way," she says.
A unifying experience
Cubillo says watching a sunset can also be unifying experience if you're with your family or a larger group.
Burgess agrees; "It can have a quite a communal aspect watching a sunset".
She says when people gather to watch a sunset, "there's a sense of being part of the community, you don't feel alone". This can have an emotional impact, she says.
- ABC News
