We all have stresses to cope with, in life. A lot of us are dealing with a little more lately, than usual. As such, you might be looking for ways to cope with that stress and help regain a level head. You’re not likely to find it stuck at home, however. Here, we’re going to look at why the great outdoors is so effective in helping you manage stress and ways to take advantage of it.
A change of environment is as good as anything
Aside from the other benefits mentioned, getting outdoors also means getting away from your usual environments. For instance, if you’re dealing with stress from work but you’re working from home, sticking in a stressful environment isn’t the best way to clear your mind. Instead, switching your environment and getting away from all of the associations of those stressors can give you some breathing room and even help with problem-solving, since it gives you distance and perspective.
The natural world improves our mood
Don’t underestimate the benefit of the type of scenery you surround yourself with, either. Nature scenes, which can be found with just about hiking route found with the help of sites like AllTrails, can have a measurable impact on stress levels. Furthermore, taking a simple walk through the woods has been shown to help fight depression to that point that even a window view of a nature scene from a hospital window has real benefits.
It’s an opportunity to get to grips with nature
More exposure to sides of nature you haven’t explored yet can be great for your mental health, as well. From setting up your first camp to learning how to fish with Tailored Tackle, there’s a lot of benefit to learning a new discipline. Developing new competencies can help improve your self-esteem while getting to grips with a new challenge can take your mind away from stressful areas in other parts of your life.
It gets you moving
Unless you’re simply sitting in your garden (which has its own benefits), most outdoor excursions involve some kind of exercise, whether it’s walking, hiking, or cycling with the help of apps such as Komoot. Exercise does a lot to improve your mood and fight stress, such as better controlling the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, and releasing more positive neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins, which can help improve your mood both short-term and long-term.
Opening your mind
One of the big benefits of being outside and of seeing a greater diversity of environments when you have the opportunity is that it tends to open your mind and perspective. If you’re feeling uninspired and bored, for instance, a change of scenery can be a great boost for creativity. This is good not only for exploring that part of your mind but also for problem-solving in daily life, as well.
Improving your health by getting outdoors isn’t just a meme that’s been passed down through the ages, there are real scientific justifications as to why it’s so effective.
