The sun's coming out, beaches and pools are opening and warmer weather is finally upon us. Crowds of people are starting to get outside and hike, swim, or just sunbath, which is great! Being outside not only improves your mood, it actually has health benefits that are extremely helpful too! Here are a couple examples that will hopefully encourage you to get outside this summer season and reap all the benefits of nature.
1. Exercise!
When you are outside, you're more inclined to do activities like hiking, swimming, running or even just going for a walk. Those are great things to do instead of sitting at home on the couch during a beautiful day. Sitting for too long has actually been shown to cause health issues! Even more of a reason to get outside and get your body moving.
2. Vitamin D!
Perhaps one of the most obvious reasons to go outside, is to get vitamin D! I know that was something your mother always told you, but what she might have not told you are all of the positive effects that it really has. Getting more sunlight can prevent such things as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and even heart disease! So go outside and catch some rays, make sure to put screen on!
3. Better Sight!
That's right, going outside can even improve your eyesight. You can avoid things such as CVS (computer vision syndrome) and nearsightedness. By getting outside you are not looking at a computer screen for too long, which can lead to CVS, and by getting real sunlight you can avoid nearsightedness caused from too much exposure to artificial lights indoors.
4. Improved Sleep!
We all have internal clocks that decide when to sleep and wake up. This internal clock is often based off the schedule of the sun. Thus spending too much time indoors with artificial light can disrupt this internal clock. So make sure to start your day with time outdoors and some sun rays.
5. Improved Mental Health!
Probably the most beneficial effects you can gain from being outside is through your mental health. Spending time in nature has been proven to show increases in serotonin (the happy feelings), improved attention spans and increased activity in your brain. So if you're bored and looking for something to do, go outside!
Being in nature has long been the way people spend their time, only recently have we turned to computer screens and Netflix. Let's encourage each other to get outside more because there are so many benefits to getting outside, why not do it?
