Step Outside: Your Body & Brain Will Thank You
In all honesty, Mother Nature may find the indoor world pretty tough to compete with sometimes. After all, she can’t offer flat-screen TVs, air conditioning, or WiFi. But she might potentially offer something even more important: improved health, by way of a stronger immune system, better sleep, and reduced stress.
Spending time outdoors can boost physical and mental health in a range of ways. You don’t have to spend hours at a time outside before those benefits kick in, either.
According to a 2019 studyTrusted Source that included data from 19,806 participants, spending at least 120 minutesTrusted Source in nature per week can significantly boost health and well-being. You can go for a 2-hour chunk all at once, or break it up into smaller daily segments — the benefits still hold.
Even without greenery around, simply spending time in sunlight and fresh air can boost your mental and physical well-being. Here are 8 benefits you may start to notice:
- Better Breathing,
- Improved Sleep,
- Reduced Depression Symptoms,
- More Motivation to Exercise,
- Mental Restoration,
- Boosted Immune Function,
- Protection from Short-sightedness; and
- Improved Emotional Well-being.