Have you ever wanted to live a better life? To be able to breathe and truly feel like the air you're taking in is pure and fresh? Have you tried the outdoors? A seemingly long-lost staple of humanity in today's day and age, the outdoors is a perfect place for adventures, unwinding, and utter relaxation. But, did you know that the outdoors comes with a wide variety of health benefits as well? Who knew that going on long walks could improve your sleep, or that taking a nap in the grass could clear your mind? Grab your backpack, your shoes, even your sandals, and head outside. It's the perfect space to clear your mind, take a fresh of breath air, kick back and smell the roses, and receive all the health benefits that nature has to offer.
"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more" - John Burroughs.
1. Improved Sleep
Who doesn't love sleep? Our sleep patterns are regulated by an internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm. This rhythm runs on a 24/25-hour cycle and is naturally tied to the sun's schedule, as different intensities of light affect when to sleep and wake. Spending too much time inside decreases your exposure to natural light, and can negatively affect your circadian rhythm. In conjunction, the use of technology in dark-lit environments can affect your circadian rhythm. While not natural light, the light from the screen indicates to your brain that it is 'daytime' and thus 'must remain awake and alert.'
2. Clean Air
With the increased industrialization of the entire globe, a breath of fresh air might seem farther away than you think. While outdoor pollutants are rampant in many areas, they're not nearly as bad as the pollutants that can exist inside of buildings. In one study by the EPA New England, they found that indoor pollutants are normally two to five (and up to 100) times higher than outdoor pollutants. These indoor pollutants pose serious health risks, such as heart disease, lung cancer, chronic bronchities, and asthmatic attacks.
3. Grounding
While more of a mind-over-matter experience, grounding is actually on the fringe of mainstream science. Grounding is the practice of bare skin contact on a natural surface (grass, dirt, etc). The theory states that because the earth is negatively charged, we absorb earth's electrons. According to a study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, grounding can have an intense anti-inflammatory and energizing effect on the body, as well as have psychological benefits.
4. Vitamin D
When someone asks what does the sun provide us, many people will say light, but just as many people will say Vitamin D. Vitamin D is one of the main hormone (that's right, it's not actually a vitamin) provided to us through the sun and is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. Lack of Vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis, cancer, and Alzheimer's. In adequate amounts, sunlight's Vitamin D has been linked with the prevention of diabetes, auto immune disorders, multiple sclerosis and heart disease.
5. Exercise
Sitting inside can be relaxing, but in the long run it can lead to poor health and multiple issues such as back pain and increased risk of diabetes, stroke, obesity and heart disease. Exercising outdoors not only exposes you to cleaner air and Vitamin D, but it is shown that those who exercise outside exert more energy, thus leading to a healthier life. Plus, you get to see some amazing sights and hear amazing sounds. Can't get those on a treadmill at the gym.
6. Eye Health
Getting outside can help your eyes! Being outside in nature can prevent Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), a set of symptoms caused by prolonged exposure to digital screens such as that from a laptop or a phone. Symptoms of CVS include blurred or double vision, eye irritation, headaches, and neck and back pain. Focusing on objects close and far away (such as those outside) can reverse these symptoms.
7. Psychological Health
Going outside is healthy in many ways, but increased psychological health due to going outside is one of the most studied and talked-about aspects in psychology today. Proven to be massively beneficial, going outside can have a positive effect on our mental well-being. Spending time in nature has been linked to improved attention spans, boosts of serotonin (the 'feel good' chemical) and shows increased activity in parts of the brain responsible for empathy, emotional stability and love.
