Step outside, breathe deep, and discover how the great outdoors boosts well-being
“I go to Nature to be soothed and healed and to put my thoughts back in order.”
– John Burrows –
A Simple Wellness Strategy
A stroll around the block may be helpful for getting time alone and moving your body, but did you know that a walk outside is worth far more than 15 minutes of fresh air? Immersing yourself in nature has unparalleled benefits, and the simplicity of the practice makes it an easy therapeutic task for anyone. Whether you feel under the weather, depressed, anxious, tired, or confused…getting outside can be one of your first wellness strategies.
Fascinating Benefits of Nature
Going outdoors can benefit nearly every part of your body. Your brain gets a workout observing nature; thinking strategically as your eye movement crosses back and forth across a path. Your skin intakes Vitamin D, infusing your body with energy, bolstering your immune system, lowering your blood pressure and strengthening bone health. But did you know nature can offer even more complex ways of healing?
Here are some fascinating ways being outside can improve your life and start to heal your body:
People who spend more time outside tend to experience less stress and anxiety.
Research has revealed that merely observing nature…taking in trees and plants, can lessen pain. Because we were created to engage with nature, when we spend time observing it, we are distracted from bodily discomforts. Even a lone plant in a hospital room helps restore patients recovering from surgery. Hospital patients who can enjoy window views of nature typically spend less time hospitalized.
People who spend more time outside tend to experience less stress and anxiety.
Kids with attention and behavioral diagnoses are more capable of focus and regulation when they spend part of their day outdoors.
A study done with Chicago Public Housing reported that residents who had shared green space felt more unity in their neighborhoods, knew a greater circle of people, and experienced less crime.
“Grounding” (setting your bare feet directly on the soil or grass) has proven to reduce inflammation in the body by connecting you with the energy and vibrations of the earth.
It isn’t always easy to truly invest time outside in the midst of our fast-paced electronic existence. Whereas our ancestors knew intimately the rhythms of the seasons, the effects of weather on their daily lives, and a life lived with the rising and setting of the sun, we often have to go out of our way to “bathe” in nature. Setting aside our phones and our tasks to schedule time outdoors is 100% worth it, though. Rethink what self-care means to you this year and get your body outdoors to restore, renew, and refresh.
Put It Into Practice
Challenge your family to get outside! Ironically, your phone can help. ____
Download an app like 1,000 Hours Outside to track the hours you spend outdoors this year. Make it a goal to spend an average of 1-2 hours each day outside. That might mean rethinking your routine or spending the bulk of long Spring and Summer days outside. But the benefits will pay off…and might even mean less crippling anxiety or sick doctor visits in the year ahead. Completely worth it!
Other Interesting Reads about Healthy Habits
Verified Reliable Sources for the Content in This Article: How Does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing? by Louise Delagran, MA, MEd via University of Minnesota