22 June 2023 | Green
Back to nature: 8 concrete benefits
Outdoor vs. Indoor: Can Mother Nature still compete with indoor comforts in 2023? Find out in the first article of our blog.
Can Mother Nature compete with the endless conveniences of indoor life in 2023? After all, it doesn’t offer televisions or air conditioning. Actually, nature provides something far more important: better health. According to a 2019 study of over 19,800 participants, spending 120 minutes outdoors per week significantly improves physical health and mental well-being. You don’t need to live near large parks or green areas—sunlight and fresh air alone can help you feel better. Below are the benefits of spending time outdoors.
1. Improves breathing
Air pollution can trigger allergies, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses. You might be surprised to learn that indoor air pollutant concentrations are two to five times higher than outdoor levels. Spending more time in natural green spaces helps reduce the risk of respiratory issues.
A 2016 study examined the relationship between local vegetation and mortality risk in a sample of 108,630 women over eight years. The result? Women living in greener areas were 34% less likely to die from respiratory diseases.
2. Enhances sleep
Your body’s biological clock follows the sun, keeping you awake during the day and sleepy at night. While artificial lighting can mimic natural light, it’s nowhere near the intensity of sunlight.
Exposure to sunlight can genuinely improve your sleep by:
- Helping you feel sleepier at night;
- Reducing the time it takes to fall asleep;
- Improving the quality of your rest.
And the best part? Sunlight is free. To get your daily dose, just step outside.
3. Reduces symptoms of depression
Sunlight can quickly alleviate symptoms of depression, bad moods, and fatigue. Additionally, being outdoors helps your body produce vitamin D, which is essential for overall health.
Take some time to enjoy sunlight—relax on your balcony or read a good book outside.
Take some time to enjoy sunlight—relax on your balcony or read a good book outside.
4. Boosts motivation
Exercising in green spaces can encourage you to keep going. Outdoor workouts are:
L'esercizio all'aperto può:
- More enjoyable and engaging;
- Opportunities for social interaction;
- Less tiring than indoor exercise.
Any activity that gets your body moving, like gardening or a walk in the park, provides tangible health benefits.
5. Clears your mind
Modern life bombards us with potentially harmful stimuli like flashing screens, buzzing phones, or noisy streets. This overstimulation increases stress levels, often without us even realizing it.
Nature, on the other hand, offers a mental and emotional refuge—especially when you need to relax or recharge. Natural surroundings provide gentle sensory stimuli that engage your attention without draining your mental energy.
6. Boosts immune function
Thanks to microorganisms, spending time outdoors helps your immune system work more effectively. Living in an entirely sterile and indoor environment may cause your immune system to lose the ability to distinguish between harmful and harmless substances.
7. Protects against myopia
A study of 10,500 children aged 9 to 10 found that spending time outdoors helps prevent myopia. Sunlight allows your eyes to adjust to objects at various distances and stimulates the retina to produce dopamine, preventing your eyeball from elongating and distorting your vision.
8. Improves emotional well-being
Outdoor spaces help ease negative emotions such as fear, worry, and sadness, while promoting positive feelings like happiness, peace, and optimism. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to forget that there’s a world beyond our windows. Developing a habit of spending time outdoors can greatly enhance your physical and emotional well-being. That’s why we are committed to promoting greenery by creating and enhancing green spaces every day. These areas offer people a chance to unplug from daily stress and enjoy moments of relaxation, making the most of every corner of their homes.
Want to transform your small or large outdoor space into an oasis? Visit our website at www.elunapiena.it/eng/
