Why Being Outside is Good for Your Mental Health

By Sierra Powell

You don’t have to hop on a jet to go on an adventure many miles away to an exotic spot to get acquainted with nature and to make you happy. Just being outdoors in any natural surroundings offers numerous benefits to your lifestyle and your soul. It’s been a tough year for all of us, but things are getting better, and most folks are trying to return to living the best life that they can. Being outside is good for your mental health, and we can prove it.

A Walk In The Woods

Let’s be honest; we all experience sadness and go through challenges. Common mood disorders like anxiety, depression, and stress can affect individuals in a number of ways. Maybe you don’t want to enlist the help of a therapist or to take medication for what’s ailing you.

Then, take a walk in the woods.
That’s right; mental health experts believe that people of all ages can get into a better mood when they step out in nature. In fact, the geriatric community, especially, can benefit from a walk in the woods, according to the Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance.

Just 20 To 30 Minutes

The United States alone has been shown to be one of the most stressful countries in the world. Some 55 percent of Americans say that stress affects them every day.

The good news is taking your sour mood out into the great outdoors and having some fun such as camping in Kansas or going on a picnic in the local park. Even just 20 to 30 minutes of being exposed to nature can decrease those stress-inducing cortisol levels.

Psychiatrists have found that both stress and muscle tension can melt away after soaking up the sun and fresh air found outdoors in nature and doing some kind of exercise, activity, or moving the body.
It’s actually scientific and called ecotherapy, which means that individuals truly have a powerful connection to their environment and to planet earth itself.

Serotonin Boost, Happy Hormone

Your mental health also receives a natural bonus in serotonin levels when you spend time outside. Serotonin is often called the “happy hormone” and with good reason. This hormone and neurotransmitter in the brain is a mood regulator and plays several roles. Serotonin can also affect your sleep, appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory.

Studies have shown that when you’re out in direct sunlight and fresh air, your brain gets a bump up in serotonin intensity. This helps to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.
A green environment can really put you in a better mood and enhance your self-esteem.

Present In The Moment

Heading outside allows you to move the body, breathe in a natural environment, and calm your mind. It’s a good balancing act for the daily stresses of life.
You get to clear your mind, be present at the moment and re-energize both mentally and physically.

Spending time outdoors can also ignite your creative juices and restore your capacity for concentration and attention.
Mental fatigue can do a number on us, and yet, something as simple and beautiful as nature can get us back on track.

Engaging The Senses

There are so many activities you can try outside surrounded by nature that you can do solo, as a couple, as a family, or as a group. You can get in quality time with nature by walking, hiking, swimming, pitching a tent, gardening, doing yoga, bird-watching, biking, jogging, picnicking, canoeing, and the list goes on and on.

When you immerse yourself in nature, don’t forget to absorb everything around you. Use your senses to maximize the health benefits of being outside. For example, studies show that listening to the sounds of nature as in a babbling brook or birds singing helps to lower stress levels.

It is no secret that your physical health is important, but your mental health also matters, and often, we neglect it and feel the struggles of everyday living. It’s comforting to know that a green environment does a body good for folks of all ages. Taking time to reconnect with our environment is simple, calming, and restorative. Head outdoors; reap the benefits!

Author Bio

Sierra Powell is a freelance content writer who graduated from the University of Oaklahoma with a major in Mass Communications and a minor in Writing. When she’s not writing, she loves to cook, sew, and go hiking with her dogs

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect all or some of our beliefs and policy. Any links on this page does not necessarily mean they have been endorsed by Defying Mental Illness.

 

About The Author