Being outdoors is proven to help boost your mental and physical health. Exposure to fresh air, sun, and nature can have many benefits. In fact, studies have shown that spending more time outdoors can help with stress, anxiety, and depression, and even improve cognitive functions. An outdoor activity as simple as a walk in the woods has a calming effect and leaves you feeling refreshed and happier.
Here are just a few of the ways outdoor activity can help you maintain mental health and well-being:
Reduces anxiety and improves your mood
Getting in touch with nature improves your mood and can be very calming. The sensory aspects of nature, the sights, sounds, and smells tend to have a soothing effect. This is why spending time outdoors often helps reduce anxiety.
Helps you be more mindful
Activities such as forest bathing also help you to be more mindful. The Japanese art of forest bathing is now a popular mindfulness practice. All it involves is simply allowing yourself to peacefully engage with the environment around you and focus on your senses. If you’d like to try it, here is a beginner s guide to forest bathing. It works for both children and adults alike, teaching you to be more positive and in control of your thoughts.
Lowers stress and blood pressure
Outdoor activity decreases the amount of hormones associated with stress in your body, cortisol, and adrenaline. Reducing stress helps to lower your blood pressure, improving your physical health overall. Being outdoors has also been shown to reduce feelings of anger and aggression.
Improves your concentration
Another interesting effect of being outdoors is that it has been shown to improve your cognitive functions, such as concentration. In fact, studies have found proven benefits for children with ADHD. Exposure to the natural environment allows your brain to take a break from normal everyday stresses, leaving you more able to concentrate afterward.
More tips to boost your mental well-being
Try to find time to fit more outdoor activity into your routine. This is an important step towards maintaining your mental health. There are also a few other ways you can boost your mental well-being.
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Work on your personal relationships
Make the effort with friends and family. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it and care for others in turn.
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Take up a new hobby or challenge
If you’re feeling stagnant, sometimes a change is as good as a rest. Whether it’s taking on a new challenge at work or trying out a new hobby, you will feel more motivated.
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Boost your confidence
Give yourself a bit of pampering with a teeth whitening kit or toothpaste to brighten up your smile inside and out.
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Mindful gratitude
Always remember to say thank you. You can show gratitude to others in different ways and this will help you to live more mindfully.
Maintaining your mental health and self-care should be your top priorities. For a new way to improve your mental well-being, why not brave the outside?
