Although it’s not technically winter yet, in most places, it definitely feels like it! Shorter and colder days can make it more difficult for many people to spend time outdoors. However, it’s a good thing to spend time outside, and the Internet is full of experts who encourage people to get outside more, because of the many positive benefits that this confers.
In this article, we will focus on three main benefits of getting out into the Great Outdoors.
Sunlight Is A GREAT Source of Vitamin D, Is Vital to Your Well-Being and Health.
Vitamin, which is called a “vitamin”, is actually a hormone and your body can make it. When you’re outside, cholesterol in your skin cells absorb UVB rays from the sun and synthesize it into vitamin D. The vitamin D is stored in the body’s fat cells and when it’s needed, it’s converted to the active form of vitamin D, called calcitriol.
While supplementing with vitamin D can helpful as a preventative or a health remedy, natural vitamin D from sunlight is also important. The body can overdose on vitamin D supplements, but it cannot overdose on the vitamin D that the body makes from the sun. If you’re having a hard time getting outside, and need a good form of vitamin D to take, click here.
Having adequate vitamin D can help your body to maintain stronger teeth and bones. It can also be protective against type 1 diabetes. Vitamin D can help strengthen your immune system. Vitamin D can help your pancreas to make insulin. Vitamin D can protect against multiple sclerosis and high blood pressure. And it can improve heart health. UVB exposure can also help to regulate gut microbiome. Finally, and importantly, there’s strong evidence that low vitamin D levels can lead to an increased risk of certain cancers – breast, prostate, esophageal, colon and ovarian.
To help bolster your vitamin D levels, spend at least 5-10 minutes out in the sun each day, without sunscreen on. Try to expose as much skin as possible to the sun. If you wear sunscreen, it will block the UVB rays from getting to your skin. Also, the sun cannot penetrate glass, so getting sunlight through windows in your home, work or vehicle isn’t an effective way to get your daily dose of vitamin D.
Make sure you test your vitamin D levels regularly, so you can make sure you’re getting enough.
Exercising Is an Important Cornerstone of Good Health.
When you go outside, you’re more likely to get some exercise in. Just making the decision to get outside gets us off our computers and away from our televisions. Because reducing screen time overall is beneficial, this is a win-win, itself.
Exercise can help to maintain a healthy weight and can help to increase weight loss by increasing your metabolic rate. Exercise can help to improve mood and decrease anxiety, stress and depression. Exercise can help strengthen muscles and bones. Exercise can both help you to increase your energy levels and it can help you to get to sleep more quickly at night and sleep better. Exercise can also help to decrease oxidative stress in the body, increasing your body’s natural production of antioxidants. And when chronic pain sufferers exercise, they may be able to reduce their pain.
To stay consistent with an exercise routine, it’s important to get out and move in a way that’s enjoyable to you. Walking is great, hiking is great, and running is great. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, five times a week. And if you exercise outdoors, you can reap the benefits of being outside, which includes getting a good dose of natural vitamin D.
If it has been awhile since you’ve exercised, consult with your doctor about it first and start slowly. And if 30 minutes a day is too much time to commit to right now, aim to get outside for a shorter amount of time. Anytime exercising outside is better than no time.
Getting Outside More Can Help You to Improve Your Mood.
In Japan, people take part in something called “Forest Bathing”. Forest bathing is an activity that takes place slowly and deliberately. The goal is to have a meditative, sensory experience outdoors, in a nature setting. It’s a way to connect with nature.
To bathe in the forest, go to a location with trees. A park or hiking trail is perfect. Walk slowly, using all your senses. What do you smell? What do you hear? What do the foliage and soil feel like when you touch them? What colors and shapes do you see?
As you take in these senses, be in the present moment. Savor it and enjoy it. Most importantly, don’t take any electronics into the outdoors with you. If you’re interested in trying forest bathing, start off with 10-20 minutes per day and work your way up from there. Doing this can help you to relax and feel more grounded. It gets you moving and away from sitting too much, with too much time with your electronics.
When you forest bathe or are outside anywhere, always make sure you pay attention to your surroundings and stay safe.
And…if you don’t forest bathe, getting outside on a walk or a hike will still help to improve your mood. Being outdoors can help you to be more creative. It can help you to have better focus. It can help you to feel more calm. And…spending time outdoors can lower your cortisol, which helps with stress management.
To get outdoors to relax, you can walk or even sit outside. Take outdoor breaks during the day whenever possible, to soak up all the benefits you can!
If you’re not getting enough time outside, here are some easy ways you incorporate more of it into your daily routines.
- Work outside when possible
- Park far away from the store when running errands
- Walk to run errands when possible
- Grow a garden
- Walk during your lunch break at work
- Eat outside during your lunch break
- Read outside
- Take your kids to the park
- Get outdoors with your kids whenever possible
- Eat meals outside when possible
- Take short walking breaks throughout the day when you can
We hope that you can get more time outdoors. It will help you have to have better health is SO many different ways. It’s a great way to get some alone time. It’s also a great way to socialize with others. It’s a wonderful way to spend time with family members and friends. And it’ll set a good example for family and friends, so they can be encouraged to start good, healthy habits that will stick with them.
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