The benefits of walking outside… “Pain goes away in 10 minutes?”

Many people sweat it out at gyms equipped with a variety of exercise equipment. While indoor exercise is great, going outside and taking a deep breath and walking in nature can offer other health benefits, according to the American health portal site "TheHealthy."

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans, on average, spend about 90% of their time indoors. Koreans likely aren't much different. A 2019 study published in the international journal Scientific Reports found that spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature significantly improves health. It's no coincidence that taking a walk around your home or workplace can help you feel more alert.

 

Walking on a sandy beach significantly reduces rumination, a mental health risk factor.

 

Dr. Harold Hong, a psychiatrist in Newwaters, North Carolina, said, "Rumination, the habit of ruminating on a single event, is a risk factor for mental illness. Research shows that outdoor activities, such as walking on a sandy beach, can significantly reduce these negative thoughts."

Fresh outdoor air can help babies sleep better, and this can also apply to adults. A study published in the Journal of Health and Sports Science found that daily walking improved sleep quality in young adults, particularly outdoors. Exposure to sunlight during the day positively regulates the body's circadian rhythm, or natural sleep-wake cycle. Sunlight can also help manage winter depression, a seasonal affective disorder.

 

Killing two birds with one stone: exercise benefits and natural benefits… Activating the parasympathetic nervous system regulates the body's ability to relax.

 

"For people with lung problems, walking outdoors, especially in a well-ventilated area, can provide significantly more fresh air than indoors," says Kristin Kingsley, a nurse practitioner and director of health and wellness at the American Lung Institute. Fresh air opens up airways, reduces inflammation, and improves the lungs' ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. "Frequent walking challenges the normal breathing process, forcing the lungs to take in more air, which can increase lung capacity," explains Kingsley.

 

Compared to controlled indoor environments, outdoor natural environments require walking on a variety of uneven terrain. This naturally requires significantly more muscle use, burning more calories and building strength. Outdoor scenery can also improve mobility, balance, and coordination.

 

Getting some sun outside also gives you a boost of vitamin D, which can be a huge help in combating depression.

 

Spending time exercising, such as walking in nature, can be a great way to calm your body's stress response.

The change of natural scenery washes away the mental fatigue accumulated from daily life.

 

Great for creating space for mindfulness, concentration, and creativity.

 

Spending time outdoors activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates the body's ability to relax, says Jennifer Barman, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Houston School of Medicine. Research shows that natural environments can help reduce mental distress in just 10 minutes. He said.

 

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Walking around the perimeter, light hiking, etc.

Outdoor activities are different from indoor exercise.

They say the health effects are quite different.

They say that mental pain can be cured in just 10 minutes a day.

 

Please walk for at least 10 minutes every day.