Outdoor walking is fun and healthy, not only for your body, but also for your brain and mind. Anyone who has done so can guarantee it. But in addition to the personal testimony that anyone can give, it is scientifically proven that spending time outdoors offers many mental benefits.
Outdoor walking helps us combat negativity, relieve stress and even fight depression. The sense of physical release you feel when you leave also helps you feel a mental release and be more optimistic, but that’s not all.
- According to a study by the University of Michigan.
- In the United States.
- Walking outdoors is related to better mental health and greater positivity; Furthermore.
- Being outdoors improves levels of depression and stress.
A study by the University of Glasgow in Scotland found that people who walked outdoors, cycled or went for a run in the wild had a lower risk of deteriorating mental health than people who played indoors.
According to a study published in the journal Psychological Science, interaction with nature allows the brain to depend on the overstimulation it undergoes each day, which can have a restorative effect on attention levels.
The tasks of modern life require too many areas of the brain that are linked to the suppression of distractions, creative thinking and the development of a sense of identity, in this sense, a group of researchers from the University of Utah in the United States. States found that spending a few days in nature improved people’s creativity by 50%.
Being among the trees has a positive impact on our bodies, as it has been shown to reduce stress levels and blood pressure. Research in Japan, a country with long working hours and high suicide rates, shows that immersing yourself in the natural world significantly reduces stress levels and protects against depression.
In addition, the sounds of nature have a great positive impact on our health and well-being. Several studies show that natural sounds and nature’s silence have many benefits for physical and mental health, especially for stress management.
The aromas of nature also play an important role in the impact they have on our health and our natural environment. Our sense of smell is closely related to the parts of the brain responsible for processing emotions.
Thus, the aromas have an immediate and profound impact. Trees and plants emit phytotonides, an organic compound that slows breathing and reduces anxiety.
Research conducted by the University of the Faculty of Medicine in Exeter, England, on the essential qualities of water and its role in our psychological well-being has revealed that negative ions in water are natural antidepressants. These negative ions are found in large quantities even in a bucket of water.
Therefore, walking near lakes, rivers and streams, including dams and fountains, is very beneficial for emotional health. If you can also bathe, the benefits are multiplied as the blood vessels expand with cold water, stimulating the body to expel toxins and release endorphins. feel good.
According to research conducted at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, nature has a positive impact on recovery. Research has shown that even looking at trees through a hospital window improves recovery rates.
On the other hand, a group of researchers from Tokyo’s Nippon School of Medicine found that women who spent six hours in the forest for two days had an increase in white blood cells fighting viruses and tumors, and that the pulse lasted at least seven days.