No matter how much we might love our own homes and being inside, there are many important reasons why stepping outdoors and spending time there in nature is essential too. Many of us don’t do it enough, but the following reasons might just persuade you that it is time to try it for yourself (and for your health).
Creativity
It can be challenging to be creative in the modern world when there are so many different demands on our time and senses. By going outside and taking a walk or simply sitting in a beautiful park or garden (including your own), you can start fresh. Your mind will be less focused on mundane, everyday things, and you will be able to create a lot more easily. Artists who find it difficult to work out what their next move should be in their painting, sculpture, or writing, often find that taking a walk outside gives them the answers they need.
Even if you have your office inside, open your doors and windows to let the sounds and smells of nature in, you will find that your brain becomes more active, and you can think a lot more creatively than you did before.
Natural Sound
Our senses have many parts to play in our lives, including making us more healthy. Hearing, for example, is an incredibly important sense. It alerts us to danger because we can hear alarms, or the sound of other people, for example, but it also means that we can hear more reassuring sounds, including those of nature; that’s why if you have a hearing issue, you should learn more and have it treated as soon as possible.
Being able to hear natural birdsong has been shown to reassure us, and it makes us feel good to hear it, instantly lifting our moods and making us more joyful. If we’re feeling good, we can be a lot more positive in life in general, leading to us being more productive and happy.
Water
If you can incorporate water into your outdoor pursuits, that is even better. Negative ions found in water are natural antidepressants, so walking beside a stream or river, spending time at the beach, or relaxing near a lake will all help you to feel much better, and your emotional health can improve.
If you also go swimming, then there are even more benefits. The water is sure to be cool, if not cold, and if that is the case, your blood vessels will dilate. This is a natural way for your body to rid itself of toxins while at the same time increasing the number of endorphins in the body. Endorphins make us feel good, so there are benefits all around to being not just outside, but near water too.
Improved Immune System
The more time we spend outside, the better our immune systems become at keeping us healthy. This is because they become used to all the germs and bugs that the great outdoors likes to throw at us, which can easily build up resistance to them. This is why those who spend more time outdoors are less likely to catch any nasty illnesses or, if they do, that illness will last for much less time. For those who are already suffering from some form of illness or even an injury, being able to have a view of the outside has been shown to help them recover faster.