Science confirms that walking in nature is good for overall well-being. Nowadays, people are accustomed to spending the whole day locked up in relatively cramped and stuffy rooms – at home and in the office. Many do fitness in the club, run in the gym, and move by car (which also adds stress!) And very rarely “just like that” go out for a walk, especially in a park or forest. Such a rupture of natural ties with nature, of course, is not good for health. The body becomes prone to colds, stress, fatigue increases.
If you deservedly consider yourself a “couch vegetable” – it doesn’t matter, it’s fixable! Try to spend at least 15 minutes a day in the fresh air – this will bring tangible benefits to your well-being. Find a reason to walk – at least to the supermarket and back. Or, even better, to the nearest park. Within a few days, you will notice positive changes in your health and attitude.
For example:
1. You will start to sneeze less.
Of course, if you’re allergic to flowering plants and it’s springtime, a morning jog in the fresh air can do you more harm than good! If your allergies don’t bother you, spending time and being active in the fresh air is good for your health: it just helps the body resist seasonal allergies in the future.
2. Be calmer and kinder
The more time you spend outdoors, the kinder you are. How is this possible? Psychologists in the course of research have proven that regular exposure to the fresh air makes people happier and more responsive, and allows them to better withstand stress. One of the explanations for this mechanism is as follows: when you leave a cramped room in the “big” world – on the street – then you begin to see everything in perspective, and small, most often short-lived problems of your (small) world are put into context and compared with more global and long term processes. Therefore, if there is such an opportunity, it is better to go in for sports, fitness or run in the morning in an open space than in a gym: this, from the point of view of psychology, gives a greater long-term effect.
3. The head will work better
Our daily household and work duties are usually perceived by the brain as monotonous work. Because of this, the brain does not receive the proper dose of stimulation, therefore it does not work, to put it mildly, at full capacity. But luckily, you don’t have to do extreme sports or do anything out of the ordinary to wake up your brain! According to one scientific study, even a simple walk in nature starts the brain much better. This happens due to a number of deeply rooted (probably from the time when life in nature was a danger to life) mechanisms of human thinking. Therefore, a walk in the park is a great tonic for the brain!
4. You will experience less stress
Nowadays, the so-called “eco-therapy” has appeared and has proven itself well – a method of drug-free treatment, when patients with nervous and mental disorders stay in nature. The effect will of course depend on the severity of the disease, but the results are inspiring. For example, eco-therapy allows you to achieve recovery in 71% of people suffering from clinical depression (such data are scientists from the University of Essex, UK). In addition, even the sounds of nature themselves have a noticeable positive effect on a person, including those suffering from stress. Unbelievable, but: even looking at photos of beautiful nature views helps to cope with stress!
5. The body will become stronger
Spending time in nature not only does your dust-weary lungs a big favor, but also your muscles. Even 15 minutes of walking a day strengthens leg muscles. A morning run for 15-30 minutes not only makes the muscles of the legs stronger, but also trains other muscles of the body, the heart, blood vessels, and is also beneficial for the whole body! Breakfast after a morning walk or run is digested better, which also contributes to a healthy set of muscle mass, not body fat!
6. You will want to do good!
A scientific study, recently published in a journal of psychology, proves that nature walks make people “interest in environmentally friendly activities.” When everything is in order with the body and nerves, a person tends to make ethical choices – it’s not just about switching to a vegetarian diet – in general, in all life situations! You can start small – refuse to eat animal flesh and use palm oil, try to minimize the use of plastic packaging. And … why not take a walk in the fresh air and think – how else can you change your life for the better?
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