Time spent outside is time well spent. This is especially true in the spring after most of us have been cooped up inside for months. And more and more studies are showing that spending time outdoors, especially in nature, can have tremendous benefits for both your body and your mind.
Physical Benefits
Increased Levels of Vitamin D – The sun has always been the best source of Vitamin D. And while most of us have heard about it, very few of us realize that Vitamin D is critical in helping your body absorb the calcium it needs to create stronger bones. Vitamin D also helps your immune system function properly and improves muscle and nervous system function.
Space to Exercise – While just being outside provides some health benefits, those benefits increase exponentially when the time spent outside is in the form of some type of exercise. From lowering blood pressure and helping to maintain a healthy weight to improving digestion and strengthening muscles, the benefits of even small amounts of daily exercise are extensive.
Mental Benefits
Reduces Stress – while any type of exercise will help to reduce stress levels, a study in Frontiers in Psychology showed that people who walk outdoors have significantly lowered stress than those who walk on a treadmill.
Improves Cognitive Function – according to an article published by the American Psychological Association, time spent in nature can greatly improve and repair cognitive function. “Experiments have found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control, while exposure to urban environments is linked to attention deficits (Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 28, No. 5, 2019).”
Increased Happiness – the same article quoted Cynthia Frantz, PhD, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at Oberlin College in Ohio, as saying, “Spending time in nature has cognitive benefits, but it also has emotional and existential benefits that go beyond just being able to solve arithmetic problems more quickly.”
If you think going outside is only beneficial if you plan on exercising, think again. According to the American Heart Association, just spending time outdoors – as little as 2 hours a week – can have significant mental and physical benefits.
So, take some time this spring to get outside. Go for a walk. Have dinner on the deck. Dust off the bike and go for a ride. Sit on the front porch and wave to your neighbors. Play hide-and-go-seek with the kids. The options are as wide open as the space outside your front door. Go explore them and see how much your mind and body will thank you for it!
