Getting Outside for Wellness
Did you know that the average person spends almost 90% of their day inside? Whether at home, school, in the office or the car, the US Environmental Protection Agency reports that we are, on average, spending more than 21 hours of each day inside. 21 hours! In fact, the term, “Indoor Generation” has been coined to describe this entire era when we are spending more time than ever before living and working inside.
So, what does that mean for our health, happiness, wellness, and wellbeing?
There is incredible evidence that connecting to nature and the natural world actually has a lot to do with improving health and wellness! Not only does getting outside provide the opportunity to escape indoor air, which can be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, but recent studies show that exposure to nature can improve concentration, blood pressure, mental health, and sleep. In fact, evidence exists that exposure to nature even in small doses has been correlated to lowering cortisol levels - our stress hormone - as well as improving our immunity. Even more interesting, some researchers have found that contact with nature just makes us happier. Who doesn’t want that?
Leveraging the outdoors to boost health and wellness is a simple strategy that can have immense benefit. And with springtime bursting all around us - longer days, refreshed in-season produce, warmer weather - we are perfectly poised to lasso the power of springtime to build wellness. How?
Go outside.
Stand outside. Sit outside. Eat outside. Breath outside.
Go for a walk. Go for a picnic. Ride a bike. Roller skate. Hopscotch.
The current research shows that it really doesn’t matter what we do outside, just that we intake the power of the sun and the natural world to boost our bodies and souls. We can put on some shoes (though barefoot works too) and step out the door. We can take in the glorious sun. We can notice the blooming and budding, and we can listen to the nearby kids playing while the squirrels argue and chirp. We can take even just a few moments and breath it all in.
As we all seek ways to boost health, wellness, and happiness, there’s no time like the springing springtime to harness the power and magic of nature.
Are you ready to build some wellness today?
Let’s go outside.
