Often the best solutions to our problems are the simple ones. There are two main forms of exercise, but outdoor movement in particular (aerobic exercise) has a host of benefits for your mental and physical health. Here are three benefits of walking and running outside:
Exposure to Natural Sunlight
As emphasized in a previous post, one of the benefits of walking or running outside is the exposure to natural sunlight. See here for more information. You can expect to experience the benefits most in the early hours of the day just after you wake up.
Morning sunlight increases your circulating cortisol, epinephrine and dopamine levels; which in turn increases your energy, immune system function and mood.
Moreover, a study using eight male participants showed that after 2 hour periods of morning and evening sunlight exposure for a week, the morning sessions regulated their circadian rhythm. In other words, your sleep-wake cycle will improve.
For more insight, click here to read the study.
Exposure to Nature
If you happen to live in the city, consider going to a spot that isn’t as congested with buildings and other urbanized infrastructure.
The reason is that one of the more subtle benefits of walking and running outside is your exposure to nature. The mere fact that you’re outside enables natural oxygen intake, which helps to clean your lungs, boost your mood, increase energy levels and improve digestion. If you couple that with the presence of trees and greenery, not only does oxygen intake increase but so does your mood.
Nature intended us to be outside in the first place, exposed to the elements; and so this plays a massive biological role in your mental health and general wellbeing – especially when you’re physically moving your body as our ancestors had to in order to survive.
Improved Mood
It’s necessary to restate the importance of walking in nature as opposed to urban settings like cities as this makes all the difference in regulating your mood.
If you’re constantly depressed, anxious or have other recurring mental health issues, outdoor exercise surrounded by greenery or water is a great antidote.
Ensure that this is made a habit to see longterm results, however a quick solution to a bad state of mind is stepping outside for 10 minutes. Never mind the emotion-numbing measures like substance or pharmaceutical intake – body movement will do the trick.
Sources
- Song C, Ikei H, Park B-J, Lee J, Kagawa T, Miyazaki Y. Psychological Benefits of Walking through Forest Areas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018; 15(12):2804. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122804