how a walk outside can boost your health and your success
Did you know?
Spending time outdoors, especially in green spaces, is one of the fastest ways
to improve
your health,
your happiness
and your productivity!
As much as a daily walk in the fresh air may seem like a waste of time at first glance… its benefits are also numerous: it has been shown to lower stress, blood pressure and heart rate, promote physical activity and lift mood and mental health!
Some research even suggests that green spaces are associated with a lower risk of developing psychiatric disorders – all findings that are now even taken seriously by the medical community…. – so why should we?
In 2019 a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research shows just how little time it takes to get the benefits of being outside:
Spending just 20 minutes in a park — even if you don’t exercise while you’re there — is enough to improve well-being, according to the research.
For the study, researchers surveyed 94 adults who visited one of three urban parks near Birmingham over the summer and fall. They were given fitness trackers to measure physical activity but were not told what to do in the park or how long to stay. Each person also answered questions about their life satisfaction and mood — which were used to calculate a subjective well-being score, with a maximum value of 55 — before and after their park visit. The average park visit lasted 32 minutes, and 30% of people engaged in at least moderate-intensity physical activity while there. Well-being scores rose during the park visit in 60% of people, with an average increase of about 1.5 points (from about 37 to 39).
Physical activity was not necessary to increase well-being, the study authors found, even though plenty of research suggests that exercise is great for your mental well-being, especially when it’s done outside! For many people in the study, simply being in green space seemed to be enough to spark a change, says study co-author Hon Yuen, director of research in the occupational therapy department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“Some people may go to the park and just enjoy nature. It’s not that they have to be rigorous in terms of exercise,” Yuen says. “You relax and reduce stress, and then you feel more happy.”
As there are countless benefits of a walk outside… I’ll give you SIX:
A mindful walk in nature will clear your mind!
When you are close to your problems it is difficult to see the solutions. The mind is a powerful tool, but if it is overexercised, it loses its efficacy and can lead to poor decisions and lower productivity. Helping the mind step down from its state of endless frenzy can do wonders for your focus, productivity, and efficacy.
A walk outside has been proven to boost creativity and help increase the flow of new ideas by nearly 60 percent, while another study suggests that even simply looking outside for just 40 seconds at a time helped boost employee productivity throughout the workday.
Your mood will improve!
taking a walk of just 30min will lift your mood because any kind of exercise
signals your body to release endorphins, which improve mood and trigger positive feelings in the body.
Research has shown that going on regular walks improves your nervous system, leading to decreased levels of anger and hostility. Walking outdoors is even more beneficial: being in nature reduces tension and depression.
Even just looking at pictures of nature has been shown to increase feelings of positivity and emotional stability.
You’ll feel more creative
Spending time outdoors is a great way to get your creative juices flowing!
Whether you’re struggling with (writer’s block or can’t figure out the solution to a problem at work) taking a walk outside can help clear your mind and trigger new ideas.
Your skin will look younger
No, I’m not kidding. Daily walking increases your body’s production of collagen, which keeps your skin smooth and elastic.
You’ll increase your vitamin D levels
Walking outside exposes your skin to sunlight, which triggers your body to produce more vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiencies are common and can contribute to many diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and prostate cancer. Low vitamin D levels are also linked to depression, frequent illness, fatigue & muscle pain. Just don’t let yourself get burned.
You’ll have more fun
Spending time at the gym and staring at the same four walls can get really boring, isn’t it?
Actually people who engage in outdoor activity report greater satisfaction with and more enjoyment from their exercise program!
When you’re walking outside, you can always change the scenery to keep things interesting or try a different route to make your walk more challenging
So what are you waiting for? Go outside and you catch some fresh air and let the sun kiss your nose!
To improve your (mental and physical) well-being AND your success never seemed to be easier
with all my love, Birgit
You got questions? Click this link and send me a message.
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