Outdoor exercise can be highly beneficial for your health
Being active is one of the keys to achieve optimal health.
Exercise can come in many shapes and forms. But whatever activity you like to practice, our recommendation is that you do it outdoors. Plus, this is the perfect time of the year to go out in the nature to make the most of the nice weather.
What are actually the benefits of practicing any sport in the nature?
1. Walking, running or doing yoga in the woods is highly beneficial for your health.
Breathing in the fresh air, means breathing in phytoncides and airborne chemicals that plants give off to protect themselves from insects. When you breath in these chemicals, your body responds by increasing the number of white blood cells called natural killer cells or NK. These NK cells kill tumor- and virus-infected cells in our bodies.
2. Walking in nature has been overwhelmingly proven to help keep your blood pressure down versus an indoor treadmill or a busy city street.
3. Being in nature forces us to become aware and develop our senses: the scent of nature, the observation of the sea, the view of the endless sky, the feeling of the wind in our skin, these experiences have a relaxing effect on our nervous system. Nature calls us to experience ourselves more in depth and to practice ‘feeling one with our true nature’.
The best example for this is when we take our yoga asana sequence outdoors. The experience is deeper and we feel highly connected with the environment around us.
More specifically this is what we gain when we do yoga outdoors:
* By conscious breathing we bring pure oxygen directly to the lungs, heart and brain function.
* Using the breathing techniques in nature allow us to release toxins, tension, negative feelings while increasing our cell’s life.
* We develop environmental consciousness. We create an interdependent relationship of love and care with nature, which continues lifelong.
* We sharpen the practice concentration.
* We increase the sense of proprioception (the feeling of positioning the body in space).
* We profoundly train ourselves in balance, because the ground forces us to make the right effort.
* We learn to be at ease. The mind quiets easily so we can cultivate inner peace.
* We learn to adjust and we grow feelings of happiness by going out of the box.
* We take our practice to the next level.
* We feel and live in harmony with the environment.
4. Being in nature boost your well-being and reduce your stress levels.
Walking, running, doing yoga or any other sport will get your blood flowing, the heart pumping and you’ll boost endorphins.
If we combine sport with nature, it is extra rewarding for mental health. It has been proven that being in the natural world or near from it reduce stress and improve wellbeing, whether you’re exercising or not. Simply having views of trees from a hospital window can boost patient recovery time. It's one of the many reasons trees are vital in our everyday lives.
To keep always in mind
1. Avoid practicing during the hot hours and avoid practicing directly under the sun.
2. Use sustainable sunscreen.
3. Due to uneven ground, stones etc. be careful not to injure yourself.
4. Be mindful of your trash. Always leaves the place in a better condition than you found it.
So wear some comfortable clothes and get outdoors for that extra boost to your health!