It’s June and the weather is finally starting to turn the corner! The temperatures are increasing and the sun is shining longer. Even though we are continuing to stay socially distant, getting outside and enjoying fresh air is crucial for our health and overall wellbeing. Read a few benefits of being in nature and why you absolutely should get up and go for that walk right now!
Vitamin D
Although Vitamin D can be absorbed through food, it can be a tough vitamin to obtain the recommended amount due to the low number of foods rich in vitamin D. Therefore, 80-90% of our vitamin D is actually obtained through unprotected sun exposure. No, I’m not saying that you need to be in the sun for hours without sunscreen. That's not safe! What I am saying is that going for a 10-15 minute walk without sunscreen will do the trick! After that, lather up of course!
Stops Mental Fatigue in its Tracks
You know that feeling when your brain decides to shut down and no amount of coffee will help? Especially around 3pm during the workday? That’s “mental fatigue”. When this happens, the best solution is to change locations and move to a restorative environment, aka nature. Some of our most active and creative thinking happens when we are on a walk, a run or a bike ride outside as opposed to staring at our phone scrolling through social media.
Great for Stress Reduction
I don’t know about you but when I’m outside, breathing in the fresh air, taking in all the beautiful colors and listening to the birds, I instantly feel calmer. I instantly feel more resilient. Being outdoors lowers our heart rate. Scents from the flowers such as rose, jasmine, and lilac increase a feeling of relaxation in our bodies and the scent of pine lowers feelings of anxiety and depression.