Sometimes we just look at everything around and think that you just want to get away from it all. Maybe you're tired of waking up and working that nine to five job. It may be that school is just stressing you out more than it should. Whatever the case, sometimes it is good to just unplug from the world for a little while and appreciate nature.
In fact there are some proven health benefits of spending time under the stars. Here are five benefits of spending some time under the stars instead of under those fluorescent light bulbs.
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1. Resetting our internal clock
It has been proven that when we spend all of our time indoors with fluorescent light and other man made products our internal clocks are thrown off. We all have this clock inside us called our circadian clocks which help us sleep and wake up. This clock can be affected by being indoors so much, by as much as two hours. This is why we stay up so late and aren't able to sleep very long. Being outdoors helps reset this and get us back on a regular pattern of sleep.
2. Normalizing our Melatonin levels
Along with our internal clocks, being outdoors for a longer period of time helps normalize our melatonin levels. This chemical is crucial for our bodies to fall asleep and to stay asleep. When we don't go outside enough this chemical level is thrown off and starts working at random times. That feeling when you wake up and instantly want to go back to sleep is due to this chemical imbalance. Yet the simple remedy to this is to spend a little time with nature and this will be fixed right up.
3. Less Stress
I know that everyone has had their fair share of stress. Whether it is from work or school, everyone can agree that their life has been seemingly awful at one point or another. Well if you spend some time outdoors not only does it help take your mind off of the stress it helps in another way. In one clinical study people who spent around 5 days camping and being "unplugged" from the world, showed signs of being happier and more at ease when returning to work or other daily routines.
4. Fresh Air
This one is a given. We all know that feeling of arriving at a destination and getting out and taking that big breath of fresh air. It is an exhilarating experience and it almost instantly makes you happier. Needless to say that when you go camping there is going to be an abundance of this.
5. Exercise
Last but certainly not least, you'll definitely get some good exercise in while you go camping. From setting up the tent to taking a hike through the woods, exercise is almost impossible to avoid when you go camping. Unlike other types of exercise, we seem to enjoy this more because it feels better where we are doing it. Also who doesn't love seeing some of the beautiful things that nature has to offer.
Whether it be by a beautiful lake, way up in the mountains, or out in the desert, everyone should go camping. From the fresh air and exercise to normalizing our sleep pattern and reducing our stress levels, mother nature helps with it all. So pack up that car, set up the tent and stretch out in your hammock. However you decide to do it, you are sure to receive some great health benefits all for free.
