5 science-backed ways getting out in nature boosts your wellbeing

If you’re someone who loves getting outside for some fresh air and sunshine, you’ll be pleased to know that time in nature has been shown by a growing number of studies as one of the best ways to boost your overall health and even helps you get a better night’s sleep. Here are five ways fresh air and sunshine work to keep you well.

1. It boosts your mood.
   Sunshine raises serotonin levels, putting you in a good mood, while keeping you mentally calm and focused. While we make most of our serotonin in our gut, natural sunlight provides a lovely top-up and keeps your mood stable. Now it’s easier to stay on track with what needs to be done, and you don’t get as fazed if things go wrong. When the sun is shining, it’s time to get outside – even if just for a few minutes every day, and you’ll still benefit even on cloudy or overcast days.
2. It reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.
   With so much anxiety and depression around, it’s good to know that time in nature provides the perfect antidote, reducing symptoms while boosting your self-confidence and ability to cope. This is partly due to higher levels of vitamin D being created in your skin after being exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D isn’t just good for stronger bones and muscle, it’s also an essential nutrient for immune function and brain health. Sunlight and light therapy are sometimes used to assist in seasonal affective disorder. Better mental well-being makes us more pro-social, so you want to spend more time with friends and family while out for a walk, cycle ride or jog. This is the perfect opportunity to join a community garden or outdoors project.
3. Your best night’s sleep starts with getting enough early morning light.
   Early morning light works by resetting your body’s sleep clock and triggering the body to release cortisol, your natural wake-up call. It’s as easy as stepping outside first thing for a few minutes, and no, looking through a window isn’t enough. It’s the exposure to natural light outside that counts. If it’s still dark when you get up, then get outside as soon as you can once the sun is up. Getting a better night’s sleep starts with getting enough early morning light and no, you don’t need to wear sunglasses for this.
4. Boost your thinking skills, creativity and problem-solving ability
   Five minutes outside is enough to help lower stress hormones. More is better. Yet many of us spend less than 30 minutes outside every day. All that stress from too much work, too much time in front of a screen, too much sensory overload -noise, internal light etc. is exhausting. Taking a mental breather – outside, is the perfect way to find the answer to that curly question you’ve been struggling with, lowers blood pressure and dissolves that terrible time pressure we can all suffer from. Now you start to look forward to your outside sortie, you’re more relaxed and more motivated to enjoy what nature has to offer and get fitter at the same time. Bonus! How will you factor in a couple of short breaks outside in your day?
5. Time outside for better physical health.
   It’s easier to make the effort to get outside when the weather is good, and the sun is shining. But time outdoors even when it’s raining or it’s a bit chilly can be restorative, invigorating even and of course as much as sunshine, it’s breathing clean fresh air that keeps us healthy. Trees act as natural air filters removing pollutants including excess carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, while releasing life-giving oxygen into the atmosphere. The leaves and bark also provide physical protection from pollutants helping to keep us well.

Getting some fresh air and sunshine makes you feel good, but by scheduling time outside every day, you’re embedding a habit that will help keep you mentally and physically well. How will you spend more time in some fresh air and sunshine?

Written by Dr. Jenny Brockis.
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