There are times when we just need to get outside, feel the sun on our faces, breathe in some fresh air and generally enjoy being outdoors. As humans, we quite often feel the pull of nature, calling us to get up, leave the desk behind and spend some time in the garden. It’s quite the natural pull especially considering how much time most of us spend under fluorescent lights, staring at computer screens, smartphones and televisions every day.
When you feel the outside world calling, it might be time to listen. It might actually be your body and subconscious mind telling you that being surrounded by nature is exactly what you need to help fix any physical or mental problems that you’re experiencing. You don’t have to go far – your garden or a local park should suffice to get all the natural healing benefits of being outside.
Apart from the obvious calming and de-stressing benefits of getting outdoors, an active lifestyle that includes enjoying nature can give you:
A Boost To Your Short-Term Memory
A walk in nature is the best way to get your memory working a little better. Studies have actually shown that your short-term memory can improve by up to 20% after just half an hour of walking through a garden, a forest or on a trail. If you’re studying for exams or prepping to give a speech or presentation, taking a walk outside could be the key to keeping those facts in your head. Just remember that you need to be out in nature because the effects are just not the same if you take a walk down the street in a city.
An Improvement Of Your Immune System
The key to a strong immune system is to consistently challenge it. If you aren’t exposed to different stimuli on a regular basis, your immune system can’t adapt to what’s going on in the world. A study has also shown that being out in nature causes your body to increase its production of white blood cells. The scientists tested a group of adults before their trip, again after they had spent three days in a forest, and again 30 days later. Their white blood cell count stayed elevated for that full month thanks to their “forest bathing” experience.
A Reduction Of Physical Inflammation
There are so many different kinds of inflammation plaguing people of all ages. These include arthritis and hypertension, autoimmune diseases, IBS, and more. A number of different studies have been done on both the young and the old to see how simply being out in nature can improve your body’s ability to reduce inflammation. Older patients who spent time in a forest saw a reduction in joint pains. Students who studied out in the woods did better physically with the same amount of stress than those who stayed in the city during their exam period. It seems that our bodies are simply better able to cope with what ails us when we are out in nature.