The Benefits of Being Outdoors

The maternal directive to “go outside and get some fresh air” may have been more about preserving mothers’ mental well-being, but we now know that spending time outdoors is a great mood booster for everyone.

“Having a relationship with nature is unequivocally important for good mental health, coping and distress prevention,” said Erin K. Engle, a licensed clinical psychologist and clinical director of Columbia University Psychiatry Specialty Services. “It’s critical in maintaining key aspects of health, including emotional, psychological and physical health.”

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Let Nature Recharge Your Batteries

The benefits of being outside are plenty. Improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even an uptick in empathy and cooperation have all been linked to exposure to nature, according to the Canadian Psychological Association.

Sunshine, physical activity and the calming effects of nature are among the reasons spending time outside reduces stress and improves one’s outlook. People feel like they are away, even briefly, from their everyday obligations. Not only that, but when times are tough, being in nature pumps up your reserve of positive emotions like dopamine and endorphins, offsetting stress and building resilience.

A review of research published by the Journal of Global Health revealed that mental health improved in 98% of the cases where people connected with nature.

Escape the Stress

Removing ourselves from the daily bombardment of information to escape to forests, parks and yards helps to restore our minds and bodies, according to Attention Restoration Theory.

The constant demands on people for directed attention — to texts, social media, work and school — can eventually lead to attentional fatigue, marked by decreased concentration, difficulty focusing, poor decision-making and irritability. Nature counters that feeling by removing the distractions and allowing you to just be.

This doesn’t mean you have to load up your backpack, vanish into the wilderness and chat with squirrels to enjoy the benefits of fresh air. Accessing local nature daily in short bursts can significantly impact your mood, Engle said.

At least one study showed that while exercise can help those with depression, walking outside is even better.

Take a Walk

Walking is an easy way to recharge, but it’s not always as simple to find the motivation to get up and go.

In late 2021, The Stupid Walk for Stupid Mental Health trend took off on TikTok, amassing over 3,000 videos under the hashtag #stupidwalkchallenge, showing annoyed-looking people stomping off to get their steps in for the day. It proved that sometimes we have to force ourselves to do what’s best for our mental, physical and emotional well-being — and we may wind up liking it.

Simple Ways to Spend More Time in Nature

• Take a daily walk outside, even just a five-minute one.
• Take a longer walk around a lake or park. Take your pet with you.
• Plant a garden and spend time tending it.
• Stroll through a forest and look for different birds and plants.
• If you have children, plan a nature scavenger hunt with them.
• Read a book next to a lake or under a tree, or both.
• Ride your bike on a scenic trail.
• Take a hike.
• In the winter, go cross-country skiing.

What’s your favorite way to spend time outdoors to make yourself feel better? Tell us in the comments.