4 Ways Getting Outside Is Good For You

After a long day at work it's hard to resist going straight home to sit in front of the TV all night. In our fast-paced, technology driven world experiencing the great outdoors has taken the back seat in favour of Netflix, gaming and gyms. Granted, the weather might not always seem like it but getting outdoors has many important and valuable benefits. Simply taking half an hour or so each day for a walk even around the block can make a big difference to your overall wellbeing. Still need some convincing? Read on...

1. Vitamin D

Unfortunately, if you don't live in a regularly sunny location (ahem, we're looking at you UK...) then getting Vitamin D into your system can be pretty tricky. Especially as it isn't present in many foods. Vitamin D is important for your immune system and disease resistance so making the most of the sun while it's out by going for a walk or a cycle is vital in this sense. Apparently just 10 mins sun exposure is plenty to score your dosage of Vitamin D. So there's really no excuse to stay cooped up indoors all day!

2. Defeats Stress

The very nature of our technology obsessed, constantly moving world has almost normalised stress as being an accepted facet of our daily lives. Unfortunately, distracting ourselves with TV shows after a bad day really won't defeat stress, but simply bury it for a while. Getting out into the fresh air and experiencing outdoor surroundings can help us garner perspective and thus help relieve the pressure of our daily lives.

3. Improves Memory and Attention

Feeling a bit forgetful lately? Perhaps getting outside for a bit will help you with that. A recent study has found that having a nature walk can help improve your memory by 20%. So if you're struggling to remember what you went upstairs to get or just can’t remember what you're supposed to be typing into your Google search then maybe it's time to clear your head for a it. Even a short walk around the block for a bit will refresh your mind.

4. You Won't Be Looking At A Screen

The 21^st Century has completely disregarded all mothers' warnings that watching too much TV will "make your eyes go square." In fact, in complete defiance we have surrounded ourselves with more and more screens to gawp at day in, day out. Although our eyes have not in fact gone square, too much time spent in front of screens is indeed having negative effects on our eyes. It also makes us less creative. In essence; too much time behind screens is turning us into zombies a bit. Along with improving memory and relieving stress, being outside and observing nature for a little while each day can do wonders for our creativity. And creativity must be in short supply if the amount of time we spend behind screens is anything to go by...