Summertime is finally here, and there’s nothing more enjoyable than spending lazy warm days by the pool with your go-to summer read and a sweet iced tea. Yet for so many of us, it can be hard to find the time to go outside and spend time in nature. You likely spend more time indoors staring at screens than you’d like to admit, and it’s no wonder why: more jobs are becoming tech-centered desk jobs and there’s many indoor activities that are favorable to going outside after a long, busy day.
However, the benefits of spending time outside offer a big payoff. According to the American Psychological Association, when people spend time in nature, they benefit from improved mood, emotional wellbeing and mental health. Here we discuss four benefits of spending time outside.
Why the Outdoors is Good for You
First, spending time outside helps you be more active. Have you noticed that when you stay indoors, you tend to do activities that require you to sit down? This means less time spent being active and more time being sentient. Now, there’s nothing wrong with resting and sitting down, but if you’re having a hard time being active in general, staying indoors all the time won’t help. Research suggests that exercising outdoors may motivate you to continue doing it, which is great for long-term health benefits.
Second, spending time outside may help improve your focus and even fuel creativity. A report published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology reviewed the effects of walking on creative thinking and found some interesting results. They found that walking in general helped increase creative output, and that walking in nature helped increase creativity the most. Walking also increases blood flow to the brain, which is crucial for cognitive performance.
Third, being outdoors could help lower blood pressure and cortisol levels. Walking in a natural environment, when compared to walking in a city environment, reduced blood pressure and stress hormones more significantly. An activity called “forest bathing,” which began in Japan, focuses on slowing down and being present while in nature. So if you’re aiming to relax, get the kids and go for a little weekend exploration, and “bathe” in nature.
Last, spending time outdoors helps support both immunity and bone health. The simple reason? Because by being outdoors during the day, your body is exposed to sun rays that convert into vitamin D. The sunshine vitamin is known to help the body absorb calcium, helping to support healthy bones and teeth. It’s also known to help support immune function, with people who are deficient in vitamin D being more susceptible to infections.
Adventure is Out There
As you can see, spending time outdoors is beneficial to not just your physical health, but your mental and emotional health too. While supplements like KAL D-3 ActivGels™ can help support your health when you need it, nothing beats going outdoors and surrounding yourself with nature’s green beauty.
Need help figuring out how to get your family to spend time outdoors? Come up with a list of enticing activities that help everyone focus on the present moment. You could do a morning hike with your loved ones with the goal of catching the sunrise, or a scavenger hunt at your local park might be more appealing to everyone. If you’ve got a dog, round up your family and go for a walk together; this might be the perfect time to catch up and spend time together. Whatever your needs, KAL is here to support your family and help you make every moment better.
