6 Benefits of Spending Time Outdoors

Let’s be honest, a lot of us spend more time indoors than we should or than we would like. Whether it be at work, at home or doing extracurricular activities like shopping at the mall, we’re often inside rather than getting the benefits of experiencing fresh air outside. Urban living is creating a culture of indoor living; green open spaces are more often than not a luxury that city dwellers don’t have. Many cities are jam packed with buildings rather than parks, making it hard for urban dwellers to get the benefits of an outdoor lifestyle.

We’re probably also spending more time at work than ever before; our jobs are more demanding and require longer hours. Working in front of a computer screen all day and then coming home to watching a TV screen or browsing the internet on a smart phone at night. Then there’s family and social commitments than often include meeting indoors. All of this means there’s less time for enjoying the outdoors, and this is having a negative effect on our health.

Luckily for you, it’s been scientifically proven that spending time outdoors is extremely beneficial to your health. There’s no excuse, science has proven that it would be detrimental for your health if you didn’t spend time outdoors in nature; it has proven not only that it is beneficial but it is an essential part of our being. So, get planning and take your family on that camping trip that you’ve been thinking about for a while.

Here are 6 benefits of spending time outdoors:

 

1. It de-stresses you

 

If you’ve ever taken a hike or even just walked through a park, you’ll know how much that experience helps you destress. There’s something about being in the open that changes the physical expression of stress within the body. Studies have found that spending time outdoors, lowers cortisol levels (a hormone used as a marker for stress) as well as lowers heart rates.

Forest therapy is the best way to get rid of all that unnecessary stress that has a hugely negative effect on your health.

While putting up a tent might be slightly stressful, if you can survive that part of the experience, then the rest of your journey will be stress free; the more time you spend in nature, the more you’ll feel the stress melt away. And if you’re not an avid camper, comfy camping is not out of reach. There are air mattresses that are as comfy as your bed at home, and so much other camping gear out there that will make your camping experience comfortable and stress free.

 

2. Being outside helps eradicate fatigue

If you’re feeling flat from all the pressures that life throws at you, then try getting outside. While going outside may see like a bit of an effort when you’re feeling exhausted, once you’ve put in that small effort at the start, you’ll feel revitalised and energised relatively quickly. It’s a restorative environment so it will help your mind refocus and give your body the boost of energy it needs.

So, why not take you 4WD and a group of your mates, and go on an outdoor adventure? Add an attachable awning so you and your mates can stop for a spot of lunch and a beer along the way. You’ll feel revitalised from the experience and get that much needed energy back.

3. It could improve your ability to focus

The restorative environment that nature provides can restore your waning attention. The world is full of so much stimuli that our brains often struggle to focus, decreasing our ability to concentrate. If you venture outdoors, you’ll be away from all that unnecessary stimuli, giving your mind a rest. Focusing on your outdoor experience rather than the hundreds of adverts we’re exposed to in a day allows your mind to refocus.

Going on an outdoor survival adventure is not only super fun, but will take your focus away from the stress of work and daily life. Stock up on all the survival gear you can get your hands on and refocus your mind.

4. You may perform better on creative tasks after being outside

Time outside gets gives problem solving skills a boost. We need to problem solve on a daily basis, whether it be at home or work, and sometimes it can be a challenge. If you’re struggling to find creative solutions to your everyday problems, then going outdoors will give you the boost you need. Forest therapy has been proven to encourage creative problem-solving skills.

5. Spending time outdoors lowers blood pressure

If your blood pressure is sky high then a good way to lower it is to venture outside. Being outdoors usually involves exercise; combine exercise with fresh air and you have a recipe for success. Your blood pressure may be lowered and you’ll experience all the other great benefits that the outdoors provides. Chuck on that camo gear, grab your binoculars or latest gadget and go an explore what the natural world has to offer.

6. Nature also might boost your immune system

Studies have found that along with all these other awesome benefits, being in nature may boost your immune system. The cellular activity that is associated with forest therapy, may give your immune system a general boost which helps fight off colds, flus, and other infections. And we all know how much we hate the man flu.

So, there you have it. Nature and the outdoors are exactly what your mind and body need to function well. Grab that gear and head out on an adventure, you’re guaranteed to feel the benefits right away.