Spending time outdoors can significantly impact your health. It’s a key factor to consider in combating the fact that approximately two-thirds of adults in the U.S. are dealing with issues related to being overweight or obese. In fact, maintaining a healthy weight is essential in managing cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Here are some ways being outdoors can impact your mental, social, and physical health.

Mental Health

Being outdoors can positively affect your mental health in many ways. Studies indicate that spending time outside in nature can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Connecting with nature has curative properties for your mental health. Fresh air and taking the time to notice the natural world around you can be a welcome distraction from your daily routine and the stress that obligations to work and home can inflict.

Many mental health tips focused on reducing depression symptoms advise taking a daily walk. The action of being outdoors and the distraction it provides can be an easy way to curtail negative thoughts. Please don’t discount the value of being outdoors and its positive effect on mental health.

Great Exercise

Outdoor activities are often a great form of unplanned exercise. For example, lawn care and gardening are great unstructured or unplanned exercise forms. Gardening and lawn care can provide a great workout to help keep you fit. Of course, getting outside and doing some lawn maintenance is also good for your wallet.

On average, a household in the United States spends a substantial $503 annually on lawn care and gardening activities. Imagine the savings benefits of getting outdoors and managing your lawn care while you improve your health. It is a win-win situation. When you save money, you aren’t as stressed when it comes to monthly bills, saving your mental health some strain as well!

Community Benefits

There are greater benefits of being outdoors that every community member can enjoy. We discussed how your health can benefit from caring for your lawn but there are more than individual health benefits. Scientific research has shown that a 50×50-foot area of a healthy lawn can generate enough oxygen to sustain a family of four.

Your lawn care can benefit your entire community, but that is not the only way being outdoors is a positive for the greater good. Outdoor spaces serve as gathering places where community members can come together for social activities, picnics, festivals, and recreational events. These interactions foster a sense of belonging, strengthen social bonds, and build a strong sense of community.

Better Sleep

Exposure to natural sunlight enables your body to produce vitamin D, essential for bone health, immune function, and overall well-being. Sunlight can also boost your mood and help regulate your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm controls when and how you sleep.

Being outdoors has been associated with improved cognitive function, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Nature walks, for example, can enhance cognitive performance and sleep health. Sometimes, to sleep better, you only need to go outside for a while.

Increased Happiness

Don’t underestimate the power of the outdoors to put a smile on your face. Exposure to natural settings and outdoor activities can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s ‘feel-good’ hormones, leading to increased happiness and well-being. The outdoors provides a sense of freedom and space. Wide-open landscapes and expansive skies can create feelings of liberation and an unburdened feeling.

Whether you’re engaging in physical activities, enjoying the beauty of nature, or simply taking a stroll, there is a connection between the outdoors and good health. Go outside more to reboot and your health will improve. Learn more about the outdoors and good health connections today.