Spending time outdoors can have many health benefits. But just what are these benefits? And which outdoor activities can have the biggest positive impact? This post explains more about why going outside is so important.
A source of exercise
There’s only so much space in our homes to move around. Outside we have limitless space to roam, which inspires us to be more active.
Exercise is important for strengthening muscles and joints, improving blood circulation, boosting our immune system and burning excess fat. While you can do many exercises indoors, space can often restrict which exercises are possible. Getting outdoors meanwhile gives you the freedom to explore all kinds of exercises from cycling to playing tennis.
Even getting out into our backyard can inspire us to do more exercise. Many gardening and landscaping tasks are very physical, while there’s also more room to play with pets and kids – enjoying time with our loved one while staying fit.
Healthier lungs
Staying indoors all day is not good for our respiratory health. Modern buildings are often not very well ventilated and we can end up breathing in all kinds of indoor pollutants including dust, mold, radon and VOCs. These can increase our risk of developing various respiratory problems.
Getting outdoors can allow us to access cleaner air. Combined with physical activity, getting outdoors can be a chance to clean out our respiratory system, expelling toxins from deep within our lungs and introducing more fresh oxygen into our bodies.
Obviously outdoor pollution exists too – outdoor spaces near busy roads or factories could have more polluted air than inside your home. This is why it’s important to not just go outdoors but to get away to green spaces such as parks or local forests. Plants are sources of fresh oxygen and natural air purifiers, so wherever there are lots of plants, the air is usually much cleaner. This ERS study explains more.
Improved mental health
Getting outdoors isn’t just good for our physical health, but also our mental health. This is because a) sun exposure provides us with vitamin D which can boost our mood, b) more fresh oxygen is sent to our brain which improves focus, and c) our brains are programmed to feel more relaxed by natural sights.
On top of this, getting outdoors can encourage us to be physically active and more social. These two activities are important sources of serotonin, which makes us feel happy.
There are many forms of therapy that encourage those with mental health issues to get outdoors. Wilderness therapy is a good example – these Second Nature Utah reviews explain more about this type of therapy. Outdoor yoga and tae chi classes are other examples.
Better sleep quality
As this Chronobiology article explains, getting outdoors can also help you to sleep better. When you spend all day indoors, you can end up disturbing your circadian rhythm, which relies on sunlight levels to determine when it’s night and day. As a result, your body may not release melatonin (the sleep hormone) at night when it should. Spending time outdoors could fix this by helping your circadian rhythm to become better tuned to night and day.
It’s recommended that you spend some time outdoors in the morning, at midday and in the evening. This could be as little as ten minutes just to help your circadian rhythm.
Infographic provided by Duck Bay Lodge, a top company for Lake of the Woods guided fishing
