Many people have a passion for exploring the great outdoors. And whether it’s a big adventure or a short walk in the woods, studies show time spent outside is beneficial for our bodies.
“You should be outside, playing, go to the park, get out in nature,” said Dr. Laurie Bostick Cammon, a pediatrician at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
Connecting with nature is a natural way to enhance physical and mental health.
“Being in nature helps to decrease cortisol levels, decreases their stress levels, it helps to improve overall health,” Cammon explained.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it also improves sleep quality, increases concentration, and supports an active and healthy lifestyle.
“Once we went on that walk and we got out into nature, we feel like we can take a deep breath. We feel like a weight’s been lifted,” said Cammon.
Stanford and others call it “forest bathing,” a Japanese term.
Studies have found it bolsters the immune system. According to a study by Frontiers in Psychology, spending just 20 minutes a day outside significantly lowers stress levels.
Doctors say the best plan of action is to start building time with nature into a daily routine.
The University of Cincinnati offers tips to make that happen: schedule breaks throughout the day to spend outside, even if just for 10 minutes.
Do workouts in an outdoor setting.
Instead of sitting in an office for a meeting, move it outside.
And find a green space to eat meals or have a picnic.
Walking barefoot in nature is called grounding or earthing which some people claim has health benefits, but Cleveland Clinic warms that scientific proof remains unclear.
They are not unclear, however, about the healing power of nature.
To see a scorecard of green space in your location, go to NatureScore. There’s also a free app there called NatureDose to track your time outside exposed to nature.