Many people are sweating at a health club equipped with various exercise equipment. Indoor workouts are good, but the American health portal 'Thehealthy' introduced that going outside and taking deep breaths while walking in nature can provide different health benefits.

According to data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans spend about 90% of their daily lives indoors on average. Koreans probably have a similar pattern. A study published in the international journal Scientific Reports in 2019 shows that engaging in outdoor activities in nature for more than 120 minutes a week significantly increases health benefits. Taking walks around home or work is no coincidence in making your mind feel clearer.

 

Walking on the sandy beach, significantly reduce the obsessive rumination of 'repeatedly dwelling on one thing,' which is a factor of mental illness.

 

Dr. Harold Hong, a psychiatrist in New Waters, North Carolina, USA, said, "Ruminative thinking that repeatedly dwells on one thing is a risk factor for mental illness. There are research findings that outdoor activities such as walking on the beach can significantly reduce these negative thoughts."

The fresh outdoor air helps with a baby's sleep, and this can also apply to adults. According to a study published in the Journal of Health Sports Science, walking every day improves the quality of sleep in young adults. In particular, walking outdoors yields greater effects. Exposure to sunlight during the day helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm, that is, the natural sleep-wake cycle, in a positive direction. Sunlight also aids in managing seasonal affective disorder, such as winter depression.

 

Exercise benefits and natural advantages 'killing two birds with one stone'... Regulating physical relaxation ability through parasympathetic nervous system activation

 

Nurse Christine Kingsley from the American Lung Institute (Head of Health and Wellness) said, "People with poor lungs can breathe much fresher air outdoors in places with good air quality than indoors." Fresh air expands the airways, reduces inflammation, and enhances the lungs' ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. Nurse Kingsley explained, "Walking frequently challenges the normal breathing process, encouraging the lungs to inhale more air. This can help increase lung capacity."

 

Compared to controlled indoor environments, outdoor natural settings often involve walking on various uneven terrains. Naturally, this engages muscles much more. It burns more calories and is beneficial for building strength. Outdoor scenery can help improve mobility, balance, and coordination.

 

Getting sunlight outside also provides vitamin D... which greatly helps eliminate depression

 

Spending time doing activities like walking in nature can be very helpful in calming the body's stress response.

Changes in natural scenery completely wash away the mental fatigue accumulated in daily life.

 

Good for creating a space for mindfulness, improving concentration, and enhancing creativity.

 

Spending time outdoors activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates the body's relaxation ability. Jennifer Barmon, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Houston College of Medicine, said, "According to research results, natural environments appear to help reduce mental distress in just 10 minutes."

 

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Walking along the trail, light hiking, etc.

Outdoor activities are different from indoor exercises.

They say the health effects are quite different.

It is possible to heal mental pain in just 10 minutes a day.

 

Please walk for at least 10 minutes every day.