Healthy Outdoor Activities – Nature’s Medicine

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Making time for healthy outdoor activities is a healthy habit that supports stress management, mood, gut health, and overall wellness. The outdoors is nature’s medicine and the healing balm that many of us need when life becomes hectic and harried. Not only does spending time outdoors bring a sense of peace, but studies suggest that being in nature can also support physical and emotional well-being.

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”
– John Muir

Health Benefits of Outdoor Activities

Benefits of Healthy Outdoor Activities

Here are a few foundational research-based benefits of nature’s medicine that were discussed in the book.

• In as little as 15 minutes in the woods, stress level cortisol was lower
• Cognitive performance in most individuals increased as well, after only 45 minutes in nature
• The feeling of awe, which is a frequent experience in nature, will indeed increase your generosity towards others
• Fractal patterns, often found in nature, allow the eye to move in such a way as to create alpha waves in the brain. This will in turn induce relaxation.
• The sounds of water and birdsong boost the mood and increase alertness

Interestingly, a revelation uncovered in the book is that not only does getting out in nature improve your health, but also limiting our time outside can actually be detrimental! Williams tells us, “We’re increasingly burdened by chronic ailments made worse by time spent indoors, from myopia (nearsightedness) and Vitamin D deficiency to obesity, depression, loneliness, anxiety, and more.”

More Benefits for Gut Health

Spending time outdoors does more than improve mood. Chronic stress affects digestion, inflammation, sleep, and the gut microbiome. Time in nature may help reduce stress and support the gut-brain connection. This is one reason outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, gardening, and spending time in green spaces can be powerful additions to a healthy lifestyle.

Make Nature a Healthy Habit

You don’t need to spend hours in the wilderness to benefit from nature. Small amounts of time outdoors can make a difference.

• Take a daily walk.
• Enjoy your morning coffee outside.
• Work in a garden.
• Visit a local park.
• Sit on your porch and enjoy the sunshine.
• Plan a monthly hike or outdoor adventure.

Healthy habits are often simple actions practiced consistently over time.

Take advantage of the health benefits offered by nature. Williams put it simply when she wrote, “Distilling what I learned, I came up with a kind of ultrasimple coda: Go outside, often, sometimes in wild places. Bring friends or not. Breathe.”

Step outside. Really. It’s that simple. By increasing the time you spend outside by just 5 hours a month (seriously), you may begin to see health benefits. Need ideas to get outside, view some of these 95 ways to help you start! What are you waiting for? The outside is calling.

If you’re looking to build more healthy habits that support your gut health, metabolism, mood, and overall wellness, start with The Healthy Habits Challenge.