Walking Outdoors: A Benefit For The Mind
Walking outdoors is fun and good for the body, as well as being of great benefit to the brain and mind. Anyone can confirm it. But, beyond personal testimonies, it is scientifically proven that spending time outdoors is beneficial for the mind.
Walking outdoors helps fight negativity, relieve stress and even fight depression. The feeling of physical freedom that one feels in the open air helps to feel free mentally as well and to be more optimistic. But that is not all.
Walking outdoors helps relieve depression
Walking outdoors leads to better mental health and greater positivity, according to a University of Michigan study. In addition, being outside in the fresh air improves depression and stress levels.
On the other hand, a study from the University of Glasgow found that people who walk outdoors, ride a bike or run in nature suffer a lower risk of enjoying poor mental health than those who play sports. inside four walls.
Walking outdoors can improve concentration and increase creativity
According to a study published in the journal Psychological Science , interacting with nature allows the brain to take a break from the excessive stimulation it is subjected to every day, which can help in the level of attention.
The great variety of activities of daily living places too much demand on the areas of the brain involved in suppressing distractions and developing a sense of identity. In this sense, a group of researchers from the University of Utah found that spending a few days in nature improves people’s creativity by 50%.
Nature helps to find tranquility
Staying in a forest among the trees has a positive impact. It has been shown to reduce stress levels and blood pressure. Research conducted in Japan, a country where the workdays are quite busy and where the suicide rate is high, reveals that immersing yourself in nature significantly reduces stress levels and wards off depression.
On the other hand, the sounds of nature have a great positive impact on health and well-being. Several studies confirm that the sounds of nature have many benefits for physical and mental health, especially when it comes to managing stress.
The smells of nature also play an important role in the impact that the natural environment has on health. The sense of smell is closely linked to the parts of the brain responsible for processing emotions.
Thus, the smells have an immediate and profound effect. Trees and plants emit phytoncides, organic compounds that slow breathing and reduce anxiety.
Water is good for the body and soul
Research carried out by the University of Exeter Medical School in England on the essential qualities of water and its role in our psychological well-being has revealed that negative water ions are natural antidepressants. These negative ions are present in large quantities even in a bucket of water.
As a result, walking around lakes, rivers and streams, including ponds and ponds, is very good for emotional health. If it is possible to take a bath, even better: the benefits increase because the blood vessels dilate with the cold water, which stimulates the body to expel toxins and release endorphins, which increase the feeling of well-being.
Nature helps to regain energy and strengthens the immune system
Finally, research conducted at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden states that the campaign has a positive effect on convalescence. The study revealed that even simply seeing trees from a hospital room window promotes healing.
In addition, a group of researchers from the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo found that women who spent six hours in the woods for two days increased the level of white blood cells, responsible for fighting viruses and tumors. The effect lasted another seven days.
