Get out of town
Why does it feel so good to go for a drive in the country, along a dirt road, looking out the window at the trees, trying to spot a lizard and hoping that a goanna doesn’t fall from a tree? It happens!
Getting out of the house has been tainted the last few years with Covid restrictions. Our reason for leaving the house has been limited to getting groceries, attending medical appointments and going to work. We have not felt the luxury of leaving the city lights behind us, heading out of town, trying to find a peaceful spot along the river or under a tree, or a picnic spot in one of the amazing national parks that we are lucky enough to have near us.
Will 2022 be different? We are noticing the shift of focus when it comes to Covid-19. Up until now, it has been something we have feared. We are starting to reclaim control and we are seeing that you are too. We have realised as a community that we are living with Covid, not just in our homes, but in our communities. Something that was once feared is now accepted, something that we avoided is something that we recognise isn’t going anywhere and we just need to take certain measures to deal with that.
Will this be our year? Will we reclaim the country road drives? Have Sunday afternoon picnics? Put on our boots and explore?
1. BEING IN NATURE BOOSTS LIFE SATISFACTION
If you’ve been feeling blue, visit somewhere green! A recent study found that men and women who spent just 20 minutes in a park setting reported a 64% hike in life satisfaction. (hike- HA, see what we did there?)
The best news? Participants’ satisfaction levels had nothing to do with physical activity! Simply visiting the park boosted well-being. Of course, movement adds a plethora of additional health benefits.
2. SOAKING UP THE SUN ELEVATES VITAMIN D LEVELS
Regular sun exposure is the best source of vitamin D. An estimated 40% of U.S. men and women are vitamin D deficient, which can lead to some pretty scary health implications, including depression, cancer, and osteoporosis. Penciling in your time outside around midday is ideal, especially if you’re short on time, as UVB rays reach their peak around noon. Exposure later in the day has been linked to skin cancer.
3. SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS MAY LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
Sunlight does so much more than boost vitamin D levels… It can actually lower your blood pressure! Researchers report that the nitric oxide present in the skin responds to the sun’s rays by widening blood vessels, resulting in lower blood pressure. Keeping your blood pressure within a normal range is important because it reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke. Although study participants whose blood pressure was already in the normal range noticed a minimal drop, it’s believed that folks with high blood pressure would likely experience a more significant change.
4. OUTDOOR TIME CAN REDUCE INFLAMMATION
Inflammation has been linked to a host of health problems, from autoimmune disorders to depression and even cancer. Various studies have shown that spending time in green spaces reduces inflammation.
Men and women of all ages can benefit from the natural inflammation-buster of simply venturing outside. From healthy, college-aged males to elderly patients, studies have shown a marked difference in inflammation among individuals who spent time in the forest.
5. BEING OUTSIDE IS GOOD FOR EYESIGHT
Surprisingly, spending time outdoors in childhood could lead to better vision later in life. A recent Canadian study found that spending time in nature greatly reduces the risk of myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness. Believe it or not, one-third of U.S. adults experience myopia, and one key contributor is a lack of outdoor time in childhood. If you have children, encourage them to spend time outdoors daily to preserve their vision later on. It’s easier than getting them to eat carrots right?
6. OUTDOOR TIME IMPROVES SLEEP
Struggling to snooze? Going outdoors could improve your quality of sleep, according to Stanford Medicine. It seems that increasing the amount of time an individual spends outside helps to regulate body temperature, along with the sleep-wake cycle, otherwise known as the circadian rhythm. While spending time in nature could lead to better sleep for people of all ages, the benefits seem to be most notable for men over the age of 65.
7. BEING OUTDOORS BURNS MORE CALORIES
Whether you venture outside to relax or workout, you’ll burn more calories than if you had stayed inside. While outdoors, the body works hard to balance CO2 levels and consume oxygen, both of which require more energy, leading to a higher calorie burn. Outdoor workouts are particularly effective because the body must constantly adapt to the terrain. Plus, outdoor fitness tends to be more enjoyable, so you’re more likely to stick to a routine.
8. SPENDING TIME OUTSIDE INCREASES HAPPINESS
It probably comes as no surprise that outdoor time can have a positive effect on mood. In an interview with National Geographic, author Florence Williams discussed an experiment she conducted to track her own happiness over a one-year period. In addition to spending time with friends, vacationing, and listening to music, Williams discovered that being outdoors made her incredibly happy. The boost in mood from being outside may be due, in part, to nature’s ability to zap anxiety and ruminating thoughts. A 2015 study published by Science Direct found that folks who walked in a wooded area reported a better emotional state when compared to study participants who walked in an urban location. If you live in a city, try to schedule regular trips to green areas for mood-lifting benefits.
9. NATURE RELIEVES STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION
One of the best remedies for stress, anxiety, and other mental health concerns is spending time in nature. According to NBC News, “forest bathing” is a Japanese practice that has caught on internationally. To begin your own practice, simply spend time in a forest or wooded area regularly. So, how exactly does becoming one with nature lead to improved mental health? Studies show that walking in a green environment lowers the stress hormone cortisol. While cortisol is vital for optimal mental and physical health, elevated levels have been linked to a menagerie of health problems, including anxiety, depression, memory and concentration problems, and even sleep disorders.
10. OUTDOOR TIME RELIEVES PAIN NATURALLY
Exposure to nature may be the best medicine for healing and pain relief. Research indicates that patients who undergo surgery experience quicker recovery and don’t require as much pain relief when exposed to green spaces. In addition to recovery from surgical procedures, “green exercise,” or exercising in nature, is suggested for chronic pain sufferers.
11. SPENDING TIME IN GREEN SPACES BOOSTS IMMUNITY
If you’re prone to illness, getting outdoors may help. Research suggests that spending time in nature wards off everything from diabetes and ADHD to cardiovascular disease and cancer. This is largely due to the relaxed state that nature promotes. Forests are particularly beneficial for the immune system, as plants produce phytoncides, which have been shown to increase natural killer cells—a type of white blood cell in humans. Plus, sun exposure strengthens infection-fighting T cells.
13. THE GREAT OUTDOORS GENERATES CREATIVITY
It’s not a fluke that the best ideas come to us when we’re in a relaxed state. A great way to promote creativity is by unplugging and enjoying time in nature. The key is disconnecting from technology, including social media, and giving your mind a much-needed respite. In everyday life, most individuals are on a constant mission to accomplish as much as possible, resulting in decreased focus. Thankfully, it seems nature has the ability to restore attention, which can lead to improved creativity.
Here is our challenge to you (in a Covid safe way of course!), get out of the house and explore the land around you. You might just experience one of the above incredible benefits!
We hope you have a great week.
P.s we got the above insightful information from https://tripoutside.com/health-benefits-of-getting-outdoors/