Top Four Benefits of Being Outside

Four Benefits of Spending Time Outside

By Aimee Jo Davis-Varela

Summer is coming, shops and restaurants are reopening, and everyone is getting a bit tired of spending so much time inside. We now have more opportunities to support local businesses, which is great, but we do still need to stay home as much as possible to do our part in slowing the spread of the virus until a vaccine is available.

Fortunately, staying at home does not have to mean staying inside, especially in Ojai where we have great weather and lots of opportunities to get outdoors. This is especially good news, because spending too much time inside is not the best thing for your health – and we are all trying to stay healthy these days.

Spending time outdoors can boost your mood, enhance overall well-being, improve concentration, and even lengthen your life, so let’s look at four ways spending more time outside can help us right now during the pandemic.

1. Increase your vitamin D intake.:

While there is no good evidence that vitamin D can specifically help fight off the novel coronavirus, it does help your immune system function properly, which helps your body stave off infections. Proper levels of vitamin D have also been shown to reduce your risk of some chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, both of which are believed to be related to poorer outcomes for those who contract COVID-19.

2. Improve concentration, memory, fo

cus, and creativity: A 2012 study showed that participants exhibited a 50 percent increase in creativity after spending time outdoors and away from their laptops and smartphones. (1) While we might not be able to take off into the wilderness for four days – like the study participants – we can take advantage of Ojai’s walkable neighborhoods and trails or our own backyards to spend at least some time outside every day.

A second study showed that walking in nature improved memory (2), while a third showed that spending time outdoors in a natural environment improves cognition, including concentration and focus. (3) many more, show that stepping away from our desks and spending more time outside can help us achieve the focus and creativity we need to effectively work from home.

3. Reduce inflammation and lower

your blood pressure: Both inflammation and high blood pressure are linked to poorer outcomes for those fighting COVID-19, which is a good reason for folks with these conditions to work on correcting them now. But even if you have minimal risk for being exposed to the novel coronavirus, managing these issues can improve your overall health. Plus, there are plenty of folks who have seen their blood pressure increase in the last few months from the stress of these uncertain times.

A study in the Journal of Cardiology showed that the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) can reduce blood pressure and lower inflammation, thus, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disorders. (4) If you do not think you can steal away to the forest for a week or two, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the U.S. Department of Health